195. The art of Weiqi (Go/Baduk) war (碁#24) - A hard truth about Peace

⚫ Would you believe me, if I told you that I haven't played a game of Weiqi in over two weeks? ⚪ Would you believe me, if I told you that I haven't played a game of Igo in over two weeks? ⚫ If you are of the calaber, I think you are, then you'd be wondering: What's the difference? ⚪ Is there a difference? ⚫ Not really. ⚪ Unless, of course, like a lot of small-time players, extra rules keep being added. All in the name of a fairer game. But that's like living a sheltered life indoors when we know that the real world is outside in the great yonder. ⚫ I know that there are people who have no idea of what my podcasts are about. No matter how many times they listen to them. Every episode is a real mind ending headscratcher. ⚪ And then there are people who get what they need and move on. ⚫ Weiqi or Go is like that: It reveals itself to the viewer; whether player or observer where they are at, in terms of their relationship with the outside world. And the sad truth is, if you're one of those people who loves to add rules in the interests of being fair, then you are just deluding yourself. ⚪ You are not being fair. In fact, adding extra rules is like putting up walls. It is those very same walls that makes one blind to what is going on, on the other side. ⚫ Which is sad, really, because we are the first living generation to be mentally and consciously aware of the global changes around us as they are happening. And they are accelerating at a pace that makes them irreversible. ⚪ But present for the Weiqi player in the throughs of mastering the Art of War undreamt of opportunities. ⚫ Do the calculations for yourself. ⚪ Play out a game of doomsday and see it for yourself: Are you The End or are you The Beginning? ⚫ Or are you a stone on the board making war against your neighbours? ⚪ I do not judge. War is the sharp human end of sudden changes that we sometimes must endure, just so that we can get to the promised land, because peace isn't always the opposite of war. ⚫ The alternative is more often a slow grinding down between a pestle and mortar existence. ⚪ We can have peace but that does not mean that the wars will stop ⚔️圍棋戰聖