John Baker wrote:
> Why should a enthusiasm for the sound of bamboo make
> me Japanese?
This isn't meant to be a reason why, but if you're
playing shakuhachi, its traditional music has deep
connections to potentially profound ideas that, while
they might be labelled "Japanese", are important and
valuable simply in terms of human expression, artistic,
musical, or otherwise. So the flute by itself has
potential uses, but the culture in which it flowered
can also be a resource. I can't be Japanese, but I can
develop an appreciation of certain aspects of the
culture.
> Playing the flute requires practice time, much of
> which is boring. I fantasize during those times and
> none of my fantasy has to do with Japan or Japanese
> culture.
I think it's fine to be able to play without a lot of
thought or struggle, as simply as breathing, but I'm
not sure what you mean by "boring". If practicing
becomes uninteresting or tiresome, perhaps stopping
until desire and focus is rekindled would be useful.
Lots of people exercise while their mind is elsewhere,
listening to music or watching something, but I doubt
they discover intricacies in what they're doing, or
further their skill, without concentrating on the
process at hand.
John Goodman
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