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Guest
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Matt,
Your riposte was interesting, but I believe that you, too, mistakenly read that I am criticizing how we practice bonsai. That is simply something you've made up. I couln't give a rat's pitute how someone practices bonsai or enjoys bonsai. Rather, I've said that we must no mistake tips and advice for instruction. If I had said that we must not mistake tips and advice for the right way to do bonsai I'd see your point.
I did not, however.
Fred,
The ways we get together to trade tips and advice is great. I have not criticized this. Again, I've merely said we should not mistake these tips and advice (and the forums from which they come) for instruction or good venues for instruction. I hope this clears things up.
Ralph,
Your points are valid. I noted as much when I observed:
"Bonsai, however, is not the kind of field of endeavor that usually results in a lucrative career. Therefore, it makes less sense to go to the effort and expense of a formal education in order to obtain a high degree of skill and understanding of bonsai art and science. Most of us are just hobbyists and do just fine with tips and advice, thank you very much. We generally have no need for much more."
In the end, I'm sorry that I miscommunicated so much, leaving so many with so many false impressions I would have thought I'd have needed an entirely different essay in order to convey. I'll work on my writing. I hope that many here work on their reading. It is fun to be criticized for what one writes. It is not fun to be misquoted and mischaracterized and criticized for junk one has not written. But I should have known. ;-)
Kind regards,
Andy Rutledge
zone 8, Texas
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