Philosophical underpinnings of American Samurai.

I'm curious as to whether there are any books out there dealing with American/Western views of Bushido. Many facets of Bushido are very Japanese in nature and some do not easily mesh with Western views of life. This is not to say that someone can't change their views, but just as with Buddhism, it seems that we would adapt and deal with some parts of Bushido a little differently than the Japanese. Any comments on this or where I might be able to find some reading materials on the

The movie Ghost Dog actually deals with this very seriously, underneath the comedy and action. You post makes it seem like you might have already seen the movie, but if you haven't, rent it when it comes out on video.

Well, to be honest Jesse, there probably aren't too many people who care about it too much.

Well, I'll be darned.

Nope. Sounds like a good cure for insomnia if you can scare up anybody to start a discssion on it. What is an American Samurai anyway? I have no idea.

They're a pretty rare breed nowadays. John Belushi may have been the last of the line. His techniques were showcased in the ancient Saturday Night Live videos. Check out his Samurai Optometrist kata to see a modern incarnation of

I missed a few out of this series, but the 'samurai deli' stuff was classic. Don't think this stuff is what our friend had in mind, but judging by what he did to a sub, I think Belushi could have kicked Zatoichi's butt at least. JS

Actually, I've always felt that the clearest exposition of Bushido can be found in a trio of American motion pictures: The Godfather, parts I, II, and III.

Steve

PS: Since cross-posted threads are a violation of the RMAM charter, I've set follow-ups to rec.martial-arts *only*.

I have to say that I think 'American Samurai' is, if not a contradiction, something of a nonsense term. Bushido arose in a cultural context of another country and era, and among conditions that are not found in the USA today. No matter how many bastardizations of 'The Book of Five Rings' are published

Hi, Of course it is. Samurai was a social class, and to call oneself an American samurai is roughly the equivalent of calling oneself an American 15th century French Peasant. You have as much chance of being the one as you have of being the other.

their deaths (also expalins why Lowry tittled the book as he did): 'In the changing of the times,' Abe wrote to one of his students,'they were like autumn lightning, a thing out of season, an empty promise of rain that would fall unheeded on fields already bare.'

So it is or would be for 'American Samurai.'

Whatever that means...

I agree in part with the post that said that a close US 'Samurai' comparison is the Old West gunfighter. To be a little more specific, the cowpoke during range and water right wars.

I appreciate all the relavant responses to my question.

I think that many got too bogged down in the term rather than the idea that I was attempting to explore. The idea of an American attempting to live by the code of the samurai - bushido. Perhaps I should have been clearer in my question. As the subject indicates, this is a philosophical question and not a question of who lived when.

In any case, I'm on my way to getting what I wanted. Thanks for all who