Topic: Disturbing...

[.Nico]

Sorry for starting so many posts recently, I have just been thinking a lot lately. This will the last one for a while, I am off to summer.

I was reading around on parkour.net, and I think you guys should read these two threads. If you have the time, I definately recommend reading all the way through. Look for posts by pkdanno and herbertiste, especially.

http://parkour.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5144&forum=4
http://parkour.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=5158&forum=1

I am not going into detail about what these threads imply. Read them, and share what you think.

[Andy Animus Tran]

I'm really surprised to see Chau Belle Dinh there.  It is disturbing...  I haven't read the whole thing yet, though.

EDIT:  Danno's posts are very inciteful.  It's good that he's there.  He's an amazing guy (who just happens to be a mod like... everywhere).

[Jereme Sanders]

Glad these threads are making their rounds on the boards...everyone should read these threads...its all good stuff

[Nom]

It is strange but rather expected to see what parkour is becomming. Danno and Erwan's posts were great. On the flip side I have set of conflicting thoughts.
A. Let people do what they want and don't hate them for it. If you can find a way to and want to make money for yourself with parkour, fine, do what you will. If parkour becomes a sport, great, I can choose not to be a part of it.
B. The other side of this is that I really don't want to see parkour become a sport, something people do just for excercise, I think it should be more than that. While it's fun and all there is a lot of personal insight to be garnered from training.

When parkour becomes what I think it inevitably will become then drop the name. The word Parkour isn't important - It's the spirit behind it.

[Andy Animus Tran]

I have to say...  We all know that this was going to come.  We have known it for a very long time.  What we have to do is remain steadfast.  Danno is right.  So long as we stay the course, no group or organization can interfere at all.  Just train.

[Andy Animus Tran]

http://www.pkto.ca/videos/DavidsBailandmessage.wmv

This is the video Danno's talking about, btw.

[Thomas Edwards]

yes there are disturbing ideas within these threads...but there is also alot of hope.  Whether or not what is being called Parkour is Parkour, the true discipline will always exist somewhere.  And if the word Parkour gets too corrupt and tainted...I don't have much of a problem letting go of it, it's just a word.  What truly matters is whether or not the art stays alive, under whatever name, in whatever locations. 
that's what matters.

yes everyone read through both threads in entirety!  there are alot of great thoughts and arguments provided.  mental nourishment!

also, i was deeply affected by alot of the words written, and by that vid of david.  I realized a few things that i'm going to try to implement into my training, and into everything in general....heavy stuff.

[Argon]

Wow. "This is the real parkour".

For me, that changes everything. I've been doing this stuff all wrong. Time to go out and train in a way conducive to my own self-satisfaction with my individual performance.

Belle is a perfect example of why the best leaders are those who genuinely have no real desire to lead.

[The Manilla Gorilla]

I post too much

[Gearsighted]

Indeed, nothing new. Go train, get off the damn computer, don't act like an ass the one time you get a chance to meet David Belle...there's a reason I spent the whole time after the movie premiere sitting upstairs...it WAS quite embarassing, but I guess kids will be kids. Don't make a movie if you don't want to be a star 

I guess the fact that people might need David Belle...or really ANYBODY to tell them to get off their ass and make their training and their purpose into something of their own choosing means as much as anything else. If you're waiting for somebody else to spur you on, forget it. It's time to take the reigns and decide what you want to make of yourself and your training.

Goodnight and good luck.

[Andy Animus Tran]

Good movie, that.

[Valigon]

well i didnt read all of it, but i did read the part about parkour becoming just another comerial sport with sponsership, and its already happinging, one of the members of my team has sponsership... He got sponsered for Skateboarding, then later the same company found out about him doing parkour and gave him more stuf and money for that to, all he has to do is run around doing parkour whenever hes at anything for skateboarding. i think its disqusting but hes all for it. gets him free shoes....

[Brian Belida]

Guys, don't waste your time. True there are some good things said by Thomas and relayed by Danno, but honestly, don't waste your time perusing those threads; go out and train. Train your parkour, train lifting heavy things, practice holding your breath under water. Go out and better yourself in something.

My new motto? "Be prepared."
Prove that you're better than petty arguments and silly politics. Don't add to the endless cycle of quarrels.

[Pat Kerby]

It's all starting to sound like arguing about religion.  The problem is that a person's spirituality is one of the most personal things that there is.  It is something different for everyone, so trying to pigeonhole a spiritual practice into one discipline, or one name is impossible.  For some, it's a fun game that they can now make some money with.  Great for them.  For some, it's a way of life that brings a wisper of character to an uncharismatic world.  Good for them too.  There is no winning this argument, and calling people sellouts is certainly not going to improve things.   

[Thomas Edwards]

well no, there is no definitive 'right' argument, so there cannot be a resolution of the argument.  Pat Kerby, you're also correct about calling people sellouts.
people tend to become their beliefs, so everyone (generalization!) comes to an argument 'knowing' that they are right, when in fact everyone should realize that they are partly right and partly wrong, as is the other parties in the discussion.  Once we can become separate from our beliefs, we can become truly open minded.

[Josh Maciel]

Um...yeah

[Johnny Boy]

I didn't know about those arguments, and don't really care. Good point's by Danno in particular but really! Stop worrying and go practise the parkour you know is right.

[Gearsighted]

Steez, excellent point. There is no "right" and "wrong" so much as there is a huge myriad of opposing opinions and viewpoints clashing at all times. I've always love the quote "The true sign of intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas and still function".

[shiroboi]

I'm actually a member over on parkour.net so I had seen this post awhile ago.  Even though this stuff is worth knowing about, the activity we do, that we enjoy, running over things, getting from point A to point B, its all still there.  I'm going to go home and work out today knowing full well David Belle has labled parkour as sport.


The people that are getting their worlds rocked right now are the ones that take parkour too seriously.  By that I mean not seriously training hard and wanting to get better, but taking parkour and trying to transform it into some quasi-religious spiritual thing when its not.  David has openly admitted that it isn't a complete discipline but people follow it anyway beliving that theres some sort of life truth in living a simple life and getting from point A to point B.  Now David has up and turned their religion into a sport.  How dare he!  Seriously, I respect David because he's doing whats best for himself and we should follow his example by doing whats best for ourselves too,  which right now, is doing what we have been doing and practicing the old parkour.

[Andy Animus Tran]

I'm actually a member over on parkour.net so I had seen this post awhile ago.  Even though this stuff is worth knowing about, the activity we do, that we enjoy, running over things, getting from point A to point B, its all still there.  I'm going to go home and work out today knowing full well David Belle has labled parkour as sport.


The people that are getting their worlds rocked right now are the ones that take parkour too seriously.  By that I mean not seriously training hard and wanting to get better, but taking parkour and trying to transform it into some quasi-religious spiritual thing when its not.  David has openly admitted that it isn't a complete discipline but people follow it anyway beliving that theres some sort of life truth in living a simple life and getting from point A to point B.  Now David has up and turned their religion into a sport.  How dare he!  Seriously, I respect David because he's doing whats best for himself and we should follow his example by doing whats best for ourselves too,  which right now, is doing what we have been doing and practicing the old parkour.

He didn't really call it a sport.  And he means "not a complete discipline' by the fact that no one is supposed to define it.  You're simply supposed to do it.  Train for yourself.  Don't worry about what others say or do because it does not affect you or your Parkour.  The discipline is your own.  That's what he meant.