Mike, I'm a tool user, as well as a tool-maker.
I also fix and revive old discarded tools, giving them new lives. I like the Wabi-Sabi aspect of old, beloved, useful things, that people do not want to part with, even down the generations, even including clothing. Not antiquities, but things that still serve in use in our lives. See (e.g.; et seq.): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/photos/album/1898264123/pic/1418484087/v\ iew?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=141&count=20&dir=asc But I make knives, hammers, mallets, hitting-sticks, teacher's sticks, and other wood things that need making for temples and Zen centers, and practitioners. In my research and development, I also work in traditional metal working, in operations on milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and with hand tools. No problems, there. I am game for all challenges, and for working to any close tolerances. There is nothing unreal about tools or their use, nor about what is made with them. Did you think so? Eno is right of course about the folks who develop and use ray-tracing software to create optically-correct looking images: the movie industries of the world make big use of this stuff, to satisfy movie-goers addicted to video game type displays, I think. I respect the development of those tools, and the other tools that they lead to, but I don't always respect the uses that certain tools are put to. But if that kind of entertainment is frivolous, then so is music made on electronic frequency-synthesizers: take those tools away from Eno, and he would have had to learn to play real instruments, instead. Usually, I can do without some of the uses, but I do not say they are all unreal. But of course, when it comes to simulations, a simulation is a simulation. But I think most aircraft pilots learn first on simulators these days, and not on "the real thing". It's cheaper and safer, I suppose, and very varied situations can be thrown at a student to develop "chops" pretty safely (like recovering from stall situations, when the plane is circling down, down, down...). Most pilots learn "new" aircraft this way (in simulators; say, when Boeing or Airbus comes out with a new model of aircraft). Then of course will follow "Pilot P & P" on the real thing. By the way, "Eno" is another name for Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch (Ancestor) of Ch'an. Small world, our big world. Pilots keep making it smaller. Who practice in simulators... . ;-) --Joe > uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > Merle, I love Eno, so I had to read the article! I found this quote of his quite interesting as it reminds me of those here who would paint legs on a snake regarding Reality. "How determined people seem to be to aim for exactly the same target again and again. A charitable interpretation: by doing so they evolve better tools for everyone else, creating vocabulary out of metaphor. Like those pathetic computer artists who are so thrilled when they've finally produced a picture of a daffodil with a drop of dew upon it is indistinguishable from a real photo. To me this would represent a total failure, but it's probably those people who propel the evolution of tools". And we know what Zen says about 'tools' and the Real Thing... ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
