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The Code of the Warrior

by spectre (Scribe)
on Apr 21, 2000 at 00:08 UTC ( [id://8263]=perlmeditation: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??

I have no discipline. I make myself have discipline.
I have no knowledge. I make myself know more.
I have no skills. I make my skills grow.
I have no understanding. I make myself comprehend.
I have no strength. I make myself strong.
I have no power. I make myself powerful.
I have no future. I live for the moment.
I have no past. I live each day like it is a new start.
I have no thirst for knowledge. I dedicate myself to learning.

I hope you all get the point.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Crulx (Monk) on May 23, 2000 at 22:22 UTC
    I happened to like the post more than some of the others around here. *grin* Many of them seemed to miss the Tao Teh Ching references.

    That being said, you seem to miss the point of Wu-wei. You cannot, by action, give or make yourself into these things you are talking about. They must come from your inate nature. I would have writtent this differently, such as.

    I have no style. How then, can you perceve my pattern?
    I have no knowledge. I see things as they are.
    I have no skills. And yet, there is nothing I cannot do.
    I have no understanding. And yet, I know everything true nature.
    I have no strength. But none can defeat me.
    I have no power. But like water, none can harm me.
    I have no future. I live for the moment.
    I have no past. For I come from nowhere.
    I have no thirst for knowledge. For there is nothing to learn.

    Something a bit more like that would have been more true to the TTC or Zen. The point is just to be who you are, and not try to force yourself into something by "making" yourself into it. This is about as OT as I have get around here, other than that I think that sort of philosophy maps very well on to coding.

    Thanks for the poem spectre.
    ---
    Crulx
    crulx@iaxs.net

      The poem is actually a quote from a 14th century samurai regarding what he thought it took to be a warrior - I think from a strictly zen standpoint yours is better, but, I think from the perspective of what makes a disciplined, hard working person, "making" yourself do things is really the only way. Regards, spectre
RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Simplicus (Monk) on Apr 21, 2000 at 17:11 UTC

    Annotations and Commentary:

    I have no discipline. I make myself have discipline.
    Truly having no discipline means that you would be incapable of making yourself do anything. What kind of warrior is it that has no discipline? This statement has no semantic content.
    I have no knowledge. I make myself know more.
    Obviously you have knowledge. You have no wisdom. Knowledge is valuable and can be traded for food and clothing. Wisdom is priceless, yet can't be given away.
    I have no skills. I make my skills grow.
    In this rapidly changing world, all of our skills become obsolete almost daily. We build on what we know, learning or dying as we each see fit.
    I have no understanding. I make myself comprehend.
    . . .and give yourself a stroke trying? Nah, I'd rather rely on those who have gone before. that's not lazy, that's smart. Your philosophy would have us all starting by coding keyboard interrupts. Poeple like me have already laid the foundation, so people like you can build on it.
    I have no strength. I make myself strong.
    We all have strength. We all have weakness. Our interactions with others make us strong, wallowing in our own narcissistic selfdom makes us weak.
    I have no power. I make myself powerful.
    Locate the button (usually on the front of the box) labeled ON/OFF (or O/1). Push it. But seriously, if your desire is power, then it comes as the fruit of labor, always. Again, study the works of those who have gone before, and emulate the masters.
    I have no future. I live for the moment. This is so blatantly obvious it need not be said. I have no past. I live each day like it is a new start. A good statement generally, but if you never learn from your mistakes, how do you grow? And so forth . . .
    A reply falls below the community's threshold of quality. You may see it by logging in.
RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 24, 2000 at 22:41 UTC
    > I hope you all get the point. That you're creepy + played way too much AD&D as a kid?
RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 25, 2000 at 07:34 UTC

    I have dicipline - I am From China ;o)

RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 21, 2000 at 02:30 UTC
    You have no point, so...
      You have no point, so...

      The point of the piece is obvious - Without my making myself work hard, I have nothing. I wasnt given knowledge, it was earned. I wasn't given strength. I worked hard for it.

      That the point escapes you is no surprise.

        I was just kidding! : ) I have no sense of humor, so... all in good fun. Actually, I respect your message a lot. We must work hard if we are to earn the reward. I am acutely aware of this as I am brand new to Perl and since doing my first couple of scripts, I find that I am indeed going to have to continue to push myself to learn this wonderful and complex language! It is hard work, but I know it will be worth it. Thanks for your encouragement. I am an advocate of the difficult path (as it is necessary to earn the greatest reward!). BTW: Chris DiBona: I think I understand why you despise Python and thanks for the Linux book!!!
        I wasnt given knowledge, it was earned. I wasn't given strength. I worked hard for it.

        But according to the poem, you have no knowledge and you have no strength! All that work for nothing.
      ...you make yourself have a point!
RE: The Code of the Warrior
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 22, 2000 at 10:42 UTC
    I have no hope for points; I dedicate myself to being dull
Yes Yes
by frankus (Priest) on Apr 25, 2000 at 20:07 UTC

    My Karma has run over your Dogma


    I have no discipline. I make myself have discipline. s'already been said, this line is daft.

    I have no knowledge. I make myself know more. how?

    I have no understanding. -Aw don't be so hard upon yourself.

    I have no power. I make myself powerful. how?, why?

    I have no coffee; I walk over to the coffee machine.:-P

    I have no future. Then what is your motivation?

    I have no past. I live each day like it is a new start.

    does that mean: Every day in every way I am getting better and better.? Phillip Miele said that over 20 years ago.

    I have no thirst for knowledge. I dedicate myself to learning. hmm is that like: I have nothing to say. I make lots of statements?

    Learn some other punctuation; it helps.

    I hope you all get the point. Nope, is there one?

    If these are mantras, encantos or positive affirmations they need refining, greatly.

    If they are some Tolkienesque riddle meant to describe Perl, they are too obscure.


    I think it would be in keeping with the idiom of Perl and humility of a monk to change these.

    If an object is worth anything for it must have a purpose.

    All of these objects are abstractions and as such predominantly worthless; only having merit for particular instances.

      Has anyone got any lines they'd like to include?

      • I eat the three major food groups: sugar, fat, caffeine.
      • I like Perl. Perl is good.

        I have no wildebeast. I go to the veldt.
        Ok, how about:

        • I haven't been ridiculed in public recently. I post nonsense to a public site

        "... instead simply try to realise the truth, there is no spoon" (except spectre)

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