Things that drive me crazy about bonsai people

[leatherback]

I can save them thousands of dollars by saying, "I have a degree and a professional license, and you don't."

What I meant was that the information is there if you want to work for it. You don't need to enroll in a college to gain access to it. What you do with it is up to you.

I do not know the US school system well enough. Here, college is not really focused on information.

 

[BrianBay9]

I do not know the US school system well enough. Here, college is not really focused on information.

There was a time, in the ancient past, when I really needed access to a good university library to get the info I needed.

 

[Gabler]

I do not know the US school system well enough. Here, college is not really focused on information.

It depends on the school. Good schools care more about the discipline than the information. Mediocre schools care more about the information than the discipline. Bad schools worry more about discipline than information.

Edit: Hopefully my word play with the word "discipline" is clear to those translating this to languages other than English.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

I ran into a similar problem with a club member last weekend. Well, I guess "problem" is a bit of an overstatement. It was just a couple of rude comments, but I was troubled by it nonetheless.

To summarize our exchange: I mentioned that I admired the work of Nick Lenz and other unorthodox growers in part because they expanded the conceptual space of what we consider to be bonsai. By pushing the boundaries of bonsai as an art, he and others have widened the field and given us humble hobbyists more room to play, so to speak. The aforementioned club member told me I was "acting arrogant" because he knew Nick Lenz, spent time at his garden, and owned four of his works, and I didn't, so I certainly wasn't qualified to talk about his work.

Setting aside the hypocrisy of that statement, I don't think that kind of (mis)behavior is an issue unique to the bonsai community or even to the broader gardening community, but, as you implied, it seems to be an issue endemic to the human condition. You weren't allowed to question the expert because you weren't qualified. Yet, a degree isn't meant to be wielded like a stick. On the contrary, it's meant to signal you know better.

Education is just that . You have been educated or have learned something about a given subject . A diploma or degree . Does not = wisdom . Especially with todays education system . This fact seems lost on a lot of educated people . It may sound rude but a saying I picked up that unfortunately fits a lot of modern situations . Is some people are educated above there intelligence level

 

[SWfloirda]

Threads like the Superfly/Haydite thread.

 

[ShadyStump]

Threads like the Superfly/Haydite thread.

Uhg, now I'm going to have to go read it, aren't I?

 

[Gabler]

Uhg, now I'm going to have to go read it, aren't I?

 

[leatherback]

Threads like the Superfly/Haydite thread.

Wow, so sad I was late to the party. Is one allowed to use the word knob in any other meaning than doorknob here?

 

[ShadyStump]

I got into the second page, and that was enough for me.
I'm somewhat curious about the psychology behind his obsession with this particular stuff.

 

[TrevorLarsen]

I got into the second page, and that was enough for me.
I'm somewhat curious about the psychology behind his obsession with this particular stuff.

I was thinking the same thing. I think someone could write a phd thesis on the psychology in that and similar threads.

 

[Cajunrider]

I got into the second page, and that was enough for me.
I'm somewhat curious about the psychology behind his obsession with this particular stuff.

Many of us are complicit in the growth of that thread.
I hope that Alfi stays around. Such passion can be good for bonsai development.

 

[Paradox]

That I would have paid money to watch.

When people stopped to stare, we would just say: "it's just that crazy Cajun bonsai guy collecting tree again"

 

[ShadyStump]

When people stopped to stare, we would just say: "it's just that crazy Cajun bonsai guy collecting tree again"

Post in thread 'The 2024 Yamadori/Collecting Thread' https://www.bonsainut.com/threads/the-2024-yamadori-collecting-thread.62801/post-1120399

Y'all don't even know.

 

[Mad Tabby]

We are always stalking trees looking for our next possible piece of art.

Yeah I’ve kind of gone nuts this year. Now with the Demon Kattin and her canine counterpart, I’m not sure where everything is going come fall. I had to restart my garden seedlings because those jiffy peat things are fun! One survivor of that incident. I know it’s a cucumber, but pickle or slicer? I guess I’ll find out.

Then yesterday 3 times I came out to evidence of suspicious activity. But would that innocent face do anything bad? She’s just sweet innocence! Plants just spontaneously explode in her presence. Maybe I should look into those commercial grow tents.

 

[Cajunrider]

My lady mumbled sumting about dry cleaning and buying washable dress suits.

She did it!
She bought me two dress suits that are machine washable. I really like them. They are dang near stainproof and are stretchy beyond the limbering capacity of my old body.

 

[Srt8madness]

She did it!
She bought me two dress suits that are machine washable. I really like them. They are dang near stainproof and are stretchy beyond the limbering capacity of my old body.

You look sharp in a suit CJR

 

[circledisk]

She did it!
She bought me two dress suits that are machine washable. I really like them. They are dang near stainproof and are stretchy beyond the limbering capacity of my old body.

we had a saying in the suiting business. "if it has to stretch, it doesn't fit"

 

[Joe Dupre']

Non-artistic people who think they can "learn" art by going to workshops and seminars and taking detailed notes. Sorry, art cannot be broken down into "Steps 1,2,3....." or "Procedures A, B, C ....". You can definitely learn the craft of bonsai by doing those things, but the creative, artistic talent is something you have or you don't. My wife and I have been dancing to our South Louisiana Swamp Pop music for 25 years. We are not fancy or flamboyant, but we have a good feel for the music. We see people every week that took dance lessons who just don't have the feel for the rhythm. They do the steps in a mechanical, memorized way. We even see people actually counting out the steps as they dance. Not saying that is bad. If they're having fun, that's great.

Or not.

 

[WinstonWolfe]

Education is just that . You have been educated or have learned something about a given subject . A diploma or degree . Does not = wisdom . Especially with todays education system . This fact seems lost on a lot of educated people . It may sound rude but a saying I picked up that unfortunately fits a lot of modern situations . Is some people are educated above there intelligence level

I heard this recently:
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad

 

[Dabbler]

What's this thing about education - I did do good in school.