Deacon Jim

My girlfriend’s career is a cross between administration and academia in higher education. I have been discussing with her the debates that have been going on here in BT over terminology (e.g., American Bonsai, Style vs. Form, Arts and Crafts vs. Rustic, etc.). She was so excited that we all were participating in a very academic debate. That is that we are at the very early stages of trying to define what we do in this world of bonsai. She explained to me that this is a major part of what academics do, they try to define and give terminology. She admiringly laughed at me for pursuing such an academic enterprise since I typically question the methods and direction of higher education.

What a great concept that we all here in BT are participating at laying the groundwork for generations to come. What a great place to be at the very infant stages, at least in this country and probably the rest of the world outside of Japan and China. What a fun, fascinating, place to be!

More Terminology:

Constructive Argument - The best type of debating a subject in order to come to resolution and move the community forward to a higher path.

Destructive Argument – The worst type of debating a subject which leads to dissention and banishment.

Community – A social group having common interests.

Clique – An exclusive group. “a group of applauders”

Mob Mentality – Reason is thrown out the window and the primordial instincts take over.

Strategic Enrollment – A term currently used by land grant institutions, which are suppose to serve the public, to chase the national rankings by giving a greater and greater share of financial aid to the more wealthy and highly educated and putting the financial burden on those that can least afford a higher education. (I digress….).

I personally really like Constructive and Community which is of course the more difficult and higher road to take.

Deacon Jim

P.S. I think it was Joanie that said something about Form being a better word than Style for a certain terminology. That’s what I think too, and I think Attila thought the same……Hey, that’s almost a quorum.

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