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Friday, March 02, 2007

Bruce Lee's Philosophy

My buddy Nathan turned me on to Bruce Lee's stuff, which has a lot of parallels with Real Social Dynamics.

Here's a quick vid of Bruce Lee that I think has some useful bits about "being too cocky" and "honest expression" -- etc etc...

He also has a lot of good things to say about how when you identify too strongly with a specific model you become a slave to it, because you're always trying to feed into that model instead of looking at every situation as a new situation.

Have a look, and if you've read or seen any other of his stuff please be sure to let me know.


Tyler

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dang dude, it sounds more like he's talking about RSD than martial arts!

The whole time I'm thinking, "I see how I can apply this to pickup, but how will this help me win a fight?"

KingAdam said...

Great follow up to 'The Power of Now' post, because you must be yourself in order to live in the moment.

Jason Abdian said...

cool vid., great advice

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you find value in watching Bruce Lee speak...

His body language is good. It holds the inner belief of "I can kick anybody's ass if I wanted." and you can also notice it has been polished (in front of the mirror) to look better on camera (he is overly expressive).

I thought a practical person like Tyler would discard these type of things (bruce lee and eckhart tolle), saying it is just mental masturbation that can't be applied directly to the field. Still, some people are fascinated by this stuff, they like to dream about finding the perfect recipe for indestructible inner-game. Is it because your are genuinely interested in this stuff that you post it, or because you noticed that it has gained great appeal now in the community ?

I haven't checked the rsd forum... I only took a workshop in july 2004

-Michel

Anonymous said...

"how can I express myself, totally and completely"

... the best answers I've found to those questions are from David-X

fuckin great guy !

here is an un-related quote:

"the whole psychology of seduction is wrong, by the way, it trains you to become over-analytical and forget the most important person in the relationship, you."

exactly !

it's all about self-worth, self-value, self-LOVE...

-Michel

Anonymous said...

how can i express myself. that statement says it all

killthemquick

Jason Chen said...

Tyler, this is awesome. It's interesting to see that many of the guys learning PU have practiced martial arts before. I have practiced Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do for years. When I started learning pickup, it was "Holy shit, the learning process is so god damn similar."

To quote Bruce Lee: when you first start learning fighting, a punch is a punch; after you have learned fighting for long enough time, a punch is no longer just a punch. When you really become a master, a punch is just a punch again.



Books Bruce Lee wrote:

http://www.allbrucelee.com/books_about_bruce_lee.htm

Here's a quick teaser of Bruce Lee's quotes. It's as if he were talking about learning PU.

http://www.fightingmaster.com/masters/brucelee/quotes.htm


For example:

On adapting to each student

A good teacher can never be fixed in a routine... each moment requires a sensitive mind that is constantly changing and constantly adapting.

A teacher must never impose this student to fit his favourite pattern; a good teacher functions as a pointer, exposing his student's vulnerability (and) causing him to explore both internally and finally integrating himself with his being. Martial art should not be passed out indiscriminately.

Anonymous said...

Michael!!

WOW! Incredible!

You just enlighted me on something, thank you!!

Anonymous said...

I've read some of his stuff but I had never seen him on video. He is just as intense!

If you like his ideas make sure to check out "Artist of life" by BruceLee (the tittle says it all) and Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living (The Bruce Lee Library).

Both I found had some random chapters (more about combat and his personal life than philosophy) but some precious gems are in there too, very deep tight stuff. They are not long so they are worth checking out IMO.

The Tao of JKD I haven't read, just the first part related to Zen, the rest it seemed to me to have a lot to do with Martial Arts which I am not familiar with.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

Its amazing how good it feels to be honest to yourself and to your surroundings, life is great!

Good stuff, keep it coming!
/Robert - Sweden

Anonymous said...

Michel, to answer your question, and as an RSD crew member, I was a Bruce Lee disciple before there was ever a community.

Truth is undeniable. It is in every artform or philosophy waiting to be discovered. You must find it everywhere, foremost, in yourself.

Once you get good at 'game' and see who gets good and who doesn't you will notice that it really comes comes down to who the person is. 'Game' is nothing more than an expression of who you are. Connect the dots and I think you will see why this is an important piece to your game and how it is representative of RSD.

I think Bruce Lee was as near a perfect expression of truth in living as anyone I've studied or encountered. Brilliant. Thanks for posting this, Tyler.

-Nathan

Revolver Ocelot said...

Tyler! You only need ONE book. It's "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do".

This was Bruce Lee's written masterpiece. I love this book because...

1)This is the first attempt at what has now developed into the Mixed Martial Arts , and I feel, the last time that someone besides Teri Tom (Jeet Kune Do student) will dive so deeply into the martial arts as a science.

AND

2)The philosophy in his writing is something that is strong in developing a large and noticable, yet impartial attitude towards life and the martial arts. Read this.

Peace

ACE

Moro said...

Hey Tyler

I have this book about the Phylosophy of Jeet Kune Do.

It is not the martial aspect, but the mindset needed to be a good martial artist.

Really good read, although I have it in Spanish :P

Anonymous said...

i have at home tao of jkd, but didnt read it yet. but i did finish striking thoughts, this one is very philosophical. no wonder, bruce was a student of philosophi in dc.

im planing to read the warrior within, the art of expresing the human body. all from BL.

tyler, check derren brown - tricks of the mind. i got MAJOR shift in mi mind from reading that book.

Anonymous said...

Tyler,

no rest for the wicked man, i noticed the times of your postings are right around the clock- you even have a regular sleep pattern dude? as a self improvement junky thought you'd best get that circadian rhythm sorted ;)

anyways just wanted to say i'm stoked with the new direction RSD is taking. I wondered whether you guys ever thought of expanding and promoting your business in way where it is not merely teaching seduction- but more of the men's issues and philosophies you seem to be including lately. I've been reading books on the men's movement for years and a lot of your material shits all over it...i think the 30 year old boys of this world need you guys for more than just picking up chicks!

i could definitely see you guys become a major player in the leading of men- hopefully the long awaited counterpart to the feminist movement is underway.

Anonymous said...

Bruce Lee has inspired me in several ways. this is written by bruce lee in his book "artist of life", its a letter to a friend.

"The True Meaning Of life - Peace of mind"

To Pearl Tso
This letter is hard to understand. It contains my dreams and my ways of thinking. As a whole, you can call it my way of life. It will be rather confusing as it is difficult to writen down exactly how i feel. Yet i want to write and let you know about it. I'll do my best to write it clearly and i hope that you, too, will keep an open mind in this letter, and dont arruve at any conclusions till you are finished.
There are two ways of making a good living. One is the result of hard work, and the other, the result of the imagination (requires work too of course). It is a fact that labor and thrift produce a competence, but fortune, in the sense of wealth, is the reward of the man who can think of something that hasn't been thought of before. In every industry, in every profession, ideas are what America is looking for. Ideas have made America what she is, and one good idea will make a man what he wants to be.
One part of my life is gung fu. This art has been a great influence in the formation of my character and ideas. I practice gung fu as a phyical culture, a form of mental training, a method of self-defense, and a way of life. Gung fu is the best of all martial art; yet the Chinese derivatives of judo and karater, which are only basics of gung fu, are flourishing all over the United States. This so happens because no one has (yet) heard of this supreme art; also there are no competent instructors. I believe my long years of practice back up my title to become the first instructor of this movement. There are yet long years ahead of me to polish my technique and charcter. My aim, therefore, is to establish a first gung fu institute that will later spread out all over the United States (i have set a time limit of 10 to 15 years to complete the whole project).
My reason in doing this is not the sole objective of making money. The motives are many and among them are; I like to let the world know about the greatness of this Chinese art; i enjoy teaching and helping people; I would like to have a well-to-do home for my family; I like to orginate something; and the last but yet one of the most importance is because gung fu is part of myself.
I know my idea is right, and, therefore, the results would be satisfactory. I dont really worry about the reward, but to set in motion the machinery to achieve it. My contribution will be the measure of my reward and success.
Before he passed away, some asked the late Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz, the electrical genius, in his opinion "What branch of science would make the most progress in the next 25 years?" He paused and thought for several minutes then like a flash replied, "spiritual realization". When man comes to a conscious vital realization of those great spiritual forces within himself and begins to use those forces in science, in business, and in life, his progress in the future will be unparalleled.
I feel i have this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater then faith, greater then ambition, greater then confidence, greater then determination, greater then vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which i hold in my hand.
When you drop a pebble into a pool of water, the pebble starts a series of ripples that expand until they encompass the whole pool. This is exactly what will happen when i give my ideas a definite plan of action. Right now, i can project my thoughts into the future, i can see ahead of me. I dream (remember the practial dreamers never quit). I man now own nothing but a little place down in a basement, but once my imagination has got up a full head of steam, i can see painted on the canvas of my mind a pciture of a fine, big five or six story gung fu institute with branches all over the united states. I am not easily discouraged, i readily visualize myself overcoming obstacles, winning out over setbacks, achieving "impossible" objectives.
Wheater it is the god head or not, i feel this great force, this untapped power, this dynamic something within me. This feeling defies description, and there is no experience with which this feeling may be compared, it is something like a strong emotion mixed with faith, but a long stronger.
All in all, the goal of my planning and doing is to find the true meaning of life - peace of mind. I know that the sum of all possessions i mentioned does not necessarily add up to peace of mind; however, it can if i devote myself to real accomplishment of self rather than neurotic combat. In order to achieve this peace of mind, the teaching of detachment of Taoism and Zen will prove valuable.
Probaly, people will say im too consious of success. Well, I am not. You see, my will to do springs from the knowledge that i CAN DO. Im only being natural, for there is no fear or doubt inside of my mind.
Pearl, success comes to those who become success conscious. If you dont aim at an object, how the heck on earth do you think you can get it?

Warm Regards,
Bruce

Anonymous said...

Saxon Six,

Awesome post. It says so much. Thanks for posting this.

-nathan

Anonymous said...

push/pull reminds me of soft/hard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_and_soft_(martial_arts)

Anonymous said...

Great article. I've liked Bruce Lee's contributions for awhile I know. I'll have to get a copy of the Tao of Jeet Kune Do too.

Probaly, people will say im too consious of success. Well, I am not. You see, my will to do springs from the knowledge that i CAN DO. Im only being natural, for there is no fear or doubt inside of my mind.

This is the best expression I have read of how you can be internally validated and still motivated at the same time. Powerful stuff


Bish