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posted by Fnord666 on Tuesday October 10 2017, @01:36AM   Printer-friendly
from the swords-are-technology dept.

I have been reading The Japanese Sword Column and thought it may be of niche interest to other Soylentils. It is written by Paul Martin, a noted British expert of Japanese swords. From the introduction:

Along with cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji, the Japanese sword has become one of the enduring symbols of Japan. It has experienced centuries of warfare, evolved through Mongol invasions, survived the introduction of the musket, the end of the samurai era, modernization, and confiscation and destruction by the Allied forces following World War II. They are an anachronism in modern society, yet they continue to be made. They are an integral part of Japanese culture.
Today, I feel very fortunate that we have access to Japanese swords and can observe the artistry of blades that were previously only accessible by Japan's ancient military and social elites.

I particularly enjoyed the July 25th article, The Changes in the Shape of the Japanese Sword. The articles are short, update infrequently and have plenty of pictures of museum-quality swords. A good fit for those with a casual interest in the subject.


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  • (Score: 2, Disagree) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 10 2017, @03:19AM (11 children)

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 10 2017, @03:19AM (#579589) Homepage Journal

    Right, because when seconds count the police are only minutes away. This civilized society everyone's so proud of is no safer than any other throughout history. The strong still prey on the weak. I'm disinclined to remove equality of deadliness from them even were there not other extremely good reasons to have an armed populace.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
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  • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:14AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:14AM (#579607)

    is no safer than any other throughout history

    Do you have a reference for that?

    The first link I came across directly refutes that claim.
    https://www.vrc.crim.cam.ac.uk/vrcresearch/paperdownload/manuel-eisner-historical-trends-in-violence.pdf [cam.ac.uk]

  • (Score: 2) by coolgopher on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:48AM (1 child)

    by coolgopher (1157) on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:48AM (#579630)

    Note that I wrote "shouldn't be", as opposed to "is". People are still assholes.

    To quote Dark Helmet - "I'm surrounded by assholes!"

  • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday October 10 2017, @12:42PM (7 children)

    by LoRdTAW (3755) on Tuesday October 10 2017, @12:42PM (#579746) Journal

    The strong still prey on the weak.

    You seem to be stuck in a nature documentary. Most armed criminals are weak and need a weapon to level the playing field with the truly strong. Why do you think guns are so prevalent among them?

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 10 2017, @01:34PM (4 children)

      by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 10 2017, @01:34PM (#579763) Homepage Journal

      Because they're extremely efficient and because your prey, and the competing predators, are also fairly likely to have them. Throwing away a more efficient means of violence isn't anything but foolish for either predator or prey.

      I know many a mother tried to teach us that violence never solves anything. They lied though. It has been proven so many times throughout history that it can solve things quickly and efficiently that the statement itself can only come from those who place wishful thinking above observable fact.

      --
      My rights don't end where your fear begins.
      • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday October 10 2017, @03:59PM (2 children)

        by LoRdTAW (3755) on Tuesday October 10 2017, @03:59PM (#579866) Journal

        My argument was against your wording: "The strong still prey on the weak." My argument is the criminal is weak because they steal the hard work of others. They are opportunists. They aren't fearsome warriors whose combative skills outmatch their prey/victim. No. You usually have some scrawny little shit with a gun or knife going around looking for drug money. Their strength comes from the weapon.

        • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:20PM (1 child)

          by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 10 2017, @04:20PM (#579873) Homepage Journal

          Fair enough. I can appreciate a good bit of pedantry.

          --
          My rights don't end where your fear begins.
          • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday October 10 2017, @06:19PM

            by LoRdTAW (3755) on Tuesday October 10 2017, @06:19PM (#579944) Journal

            The wording bothered me as it portrays armed criminals as fearsome warriors when it's almost always the exact opposite. It takes work to become a strong person which runs counter to the criminals opportunistic nature.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @05:24PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @05:24PM (#579906)

        Or, said another way and in the spirit of TFR

        “A sword is a weapon. The art of swordsmanship is learning how to kill. That is the truth. What Miss Kaoru says is sweet and innocent talk that only those whose hands have never been stained with the blood of men can believe. But, to tell you the truth, I much prefer Miss Kaoru’s sweet and innocent talk over the truth, indeed I do!”

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @02:05PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 10 2017, @02:05PM (#579795)

      You are an idiot. Even without a weapon, most violent criminals are stronger and faster than their victims. A weapon just makes it easier,