Originally Posted by
Jimbo
There were aspects of Smith's writings that I disagreed with, or sometimes found self-contradictory.
For example:
1) He criticized CMA systems that he felt were 'non-functional', yet in his Martial Musings, he criticized UFC fighting as not very good and glorifying violence (if I recall correctly). Meaning, he seemed unimpressed with systems he deemed 'dance-like' and void of combative function, but was also highly critical of MAs and MAists that emphasized the application of fighting aspects if they didn't fit his liking, and felt they only appealed to audiences' baser instincts.
2). He seemed to view southern CMA systems (except for maybe Fujian-style White Crane systems and Liao Wu-Chang's Monkey) as 'rudimentary' and inferior to northern styles, especially the 'internal' systems of Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua.
3). He included translations of fanciful tales of the fighting and feats of famous internal masters as if they were to be taken as fact, and proof of the 'internal' systems' superiority over 'Shaolin' systems.
There are other things as well, but you get the point. That said, he had been in the arts before I was ever born, so he had the right to have his opinion, and I still respect him, even though, IMO, he was completely wrong about some things. I don't have to totally agree with a person to respect his/her opinions.
As for Draeger, I agree that his JMA writings were in a class of their own. But I found R.W. Smith to be one of the most entertaining/readable MA authors ever, with his unique writing style. In comparison, most MA books are very dry reading. IMO, one of Smith's best books is the long out-of-print Western Boxing and World Wrestling, written under the pseudonym John F. Gilbey.
Agreed on all points.
I have heard of that "northern superiority" before, Bawang has it, LOL !
I disagree of course.
Psalms 144:1
Praise be my Lord my Rock,
He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !