CSI: BUSHIDO OR BULLSHIT-DO?
This post only reflects my opinion of the Bushido code and its practice and has nothing to do with the personal opinions of the other members of Sanada Clan.
Today, if you do a search on Bushido through google or other search engines, you will find an array of results with varied meanings. But what does it really stand for in its time?
Bushido actually comes from a combination of words. “Bushi” which means “Warrior” and “Do” which means way (Gaskin & Hawkins 1994). To simplify it, you can say it means “the way of the warrior”. Another way to interpret Bushido is that it is a way of preserving peace through the use of force (Binder 1999).
The emergence of the Bushido Code is primarily attributed to the emergence of the Samurai. “What Japan was she owed to the samurai. They were not only the flower of the nation but its root as well.” (Nitobe 1908)
The 7 Virtues of the Samurai Code
The Bushido Code has seven main virtues whose roots stem from Confucius and Zen Buddhism.
Gi (rectitude) morality, integrity
Yū (courage) bravery, valor
Jin (Benevolence) kindness, compassion
Rei (respect) reverence
Makoto (honesty) sincerity
Meiyo (honor, glory) nobility
Chūgi (loyalty) faithfulness, devotion, trustworthiness
In its strictest sense Bushido can never be practiced in C:SI, for one we are all pretending wannabe samurais. It would take more than endless bowing for ready and good fight and bows respectfully to prove you are walking the way of the warrior. No one! No one walks the way of the warrior in second life.
It quite irks me that some overuse the Bushido code. Like say a fighter’s displeasure on a certain weapon… wouldn’t it be more honorable to spar a weapon with a few minor bugs rather than whine and complain about it because you lost and say it was not an honorable thing to use such a weapon?
Unless your internet connection is pretty bad, no matter what your statistics are, no matter how often the lag spikes are…. there is a way on winning a spar. It takes more than internet speed and sword balance– or so the wannabe samurais call it. It takes brains! It takes a really smart person to win a spar, aside from experience and sword and internet speed.
CSI is so into the Bushido code that for some, others have forgotten to have fun. This is a WAKE UP POST. You are not a samurai! You do not walk the way of the warrior! You cannot practice Bushido by simple bows, or by winning spar after spar, battle after battle!
It quite amuses me that some people would go so far as to “kiss the ground” I walk on just so they could be called a real samurai by practicing Bushido. Personally, if a new fighter follows the protocol– ready and good fight bows, no uncalled for slashes…. I am fine with that.
It is quite surprising and ironic that one of the predominantly Japanese clans, — (the country where Bushido originated) Sanada Clan, is all easygoing about how they deal with C:SI. I am so proud to be a member of it. Phoenix, the clan daimyo, has never let all these so called “power and authority” get into his head. I would tell other fighters and I truly believe in this, Phoenix does not walk the way of the warrior… he LIVES it! He is our clan leader but it does not stop there, most importantly, he is our FRIEND. And so are the other leaders– Ocean and Shimon, I have nothing bad to say against them, not because they are Sanada members, but because they are truly nice people.
In modern Japan, for some, the Bushido values are still alive the Japanese have the utmost respect for their country and family. It would be a scandal to shame and dishonor them.
This is how it is, and this is my wish for all clans. I personally see the whole Bushido thing as something that cannot be taught, it is YOU. The REAL YOU. It is your culture, it is your values. So no matter how good you are, no matter how many times you bow, no matter how much you call your teacher sensei or master… question yourself? Would I still be like this with him in RL? Or is it just the whole Bullshit-do thing and because I want a rank up and be famous and be known all over C:SI?
This post stems from everything I have observed going on in C:SI, from a canned supposed tournament that questions on how women should be treated—argh! now I have to deal with the feminists too! and from all the bullshit that goes on.
Forgive the grammar lapses, English is not my first language. I rest my case. Let’s all get down and boogie! Woo! Hi5!
Okay I’m fine now! 
LET’S ALL HAVE FUN PIXEL PEEPS!!!
Gaby, Thank you for this very interesting post. Your English is excellent. I can speak nothing else, so I am pitiful in this regard.
I see Bushido in a similar way. Bushido is either a part of you or it is fake. Except, all children have to fake first before they learn a thing. We get good at what we practice. We practice the katana and we get better. And opposite, if we are good at a negative thing, it is because we practice that thing a lot.
Virtue sounds like and old thing we do not need anymore. Or do we? I have been very lucky in real life to have teachers that showed me how to be happy. My personal guide to life is: respect for self, respect for others, and respect for place. But I slip sometimes and forget. I have to remember that everyone just wants to be happy. It makes me happy to get what I want, but what if it hurts others? Ohhh, wait! Hurting others makes me sad. So now I have to be more careful and think of myself AND others too. Much harder, I have to think of the clan. I forget a lot. Sorry for those times.
I am an expressive person. Can you tell?
I do not have much analytical skill like many of our clever members. Maybe this is why the katana is so difficult for me. I play by feel, which is not good because CSI is mostly based on numbers…milliseconds! So that is why I laugh a lot. It matters to win, but what matters more to me is to have fun. Laughing makes clear what my meaning is. It is so easy to misunderstand in SL, especially with so many languages and translators that do not work well.
On the thought of how women should be treated.
It is my opinion that every person should be treated with the same respect, not just women. But humans have gender and there is not much gender equality in the world yet. We cannot help being human. But still, everyone can practice respect.
I usually wear conservative dress, otherwise I get problems I do not want, such as disrespect. Dressing fancy can be fun but it can also lead to bad things. It is okay to dress anyway people want to. I just want people to respect each other. So I can only guess this is a problem with the tournament idea. I do not know.
I am guessing that some ideas are good for some people, but not the clan. It is like parents giving permission to an older child but not to the younger child who is not ready. If everyone was good at respect, there would be fewer problems I think. I admit, I am a bit disappointed but only because I was working on a creative solution to the problem of too much skin. Haha! I wish I could have showed you all my solution. It is no problem. It is okay.
I think Bushido is a good goal to work towards because kindness, integrity and bravery are not likely to make people unhappy. These virtues are just difficult to practice. I just want to have fun. But actually, practicing reverence, honesty and all that is fun because it brings happiness to all. Besides, I love a personal challenge. I am not so good at competing. Sigh. I am confused I think. ^^
SL can be very harsh and very lonely. SL is partly what I make happen. Just like in real life, I have to tend my garden of friends. I can only guess that this work is much bigger for the clan leaders, keeping not only their own gardens happy but the whole land happy! I bow with great respect to phoenix san and all the clan for the efforts done every day to keep Sanada a fun place. Thank you all sooooooo much!
Please accept my apologies for speaking my mind, as I am a new member and I am still learning what is best. I have a really hard time keeping my mouth shut. I need to practice that more. ^^
Jiryn
June 19, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Jiryn♥
Thank you for the insightful comment! 
June 19, 2010 at 5:31 pm
@Gabby and Jiryn: i guess much of what i have to say about the matter you guys already expressed oh so eloquently. To Jiryn, I have always believed that it is not bad to speak out your mind (whether you are new or not) as long as it is expressed in a diplomatic way, with the intention to contribute/share/inform and not to diss any person or ideals.
I am also of the belief that no matter how much role-playing one does in SL, the values that he has in RL will somehow find their way to be revealed in SL. Gabby hits the nail right on the head indeed.
I do not want to sound like some zealot, but I am happy to be in Sanada. Sanada allows for freedom, creativity, and communication, and is never stuck up with all the bushido issue. I am happy and having fun … and my experience with Sanada transcends fun and all these bushido s***. For this reason, I am very thankful. I hope your experience is just a s pleasant.
June 20, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I love this article because it’s something everyone has an opinion on and everyone is correct. Can we really practise Bushido in a virtual world? I think so, but I have never seen anyone do it to the degree I thing bushido is. But that is the pretty of a virtual world isn’t it? It is what you make it!! That is the wake-up call!! Most circum to the idea that SL is for fun and holding to a code is something that takes a lot of willpower. I would be the first to admit I do not follow bushido to the letter but there that some things in there that I believe are the founding principles of C:SI.
Rei – Respect: hard to define here in SL but let me just say that Respect is how I would want someone to treat me.
Chūgi (loyalty)- faithfulness, devotion, trustworthiness : People leave clans and join others so often in SL it is hard to be loyal. Your best friend one day is someone you don’t trust the next. In the 3 years I have been in SL, I can say that I really don’t have a best friend or group here that I trust enough to give them my loyalty and if you knew me and my RL background you would know that loyalty means a lot to me. I am envious of anyone that can say they trust anyone here.
Makoto (honesty) – sincerity: I have learnt in my short life that honesty has different meaning for different people. As an example, if I don’t tell you everything I know about a subject, is that being dishonest? For rules, because it’s not in the rules does that mean I can do it? Honesty is very subjective.
Jin (Benevolence) – kindness, compassion: Again, something very subjective. When I spar someone that clearly I can beat easily, I would prefer to teach them how to defeat me rather than continue to kill them. Or if someone is clearly frustrated, I try to instruct …. Is that being Kind and compassionate or how would you define it?
Yū (courage) – bravery, valor: In our little world of make believe where you have nothing to lose of value that an alt can’t fix. How are we brave?
Ok, I didn’t cover them all but you can see that you can follow the code if you believe you are following it. In this world where 50 year old people tell me they feel young again, its escape to be what you want to be and follow what you heart tells you. Bottom line, bushido is what you want it to be in SL. All I ask is that you treat me like you want me to treat you. THAT is Bushido to me.
Thanks for an interesting Post!
JulieAnne Rau
June 22, 2010 at 3:17 am
Good message. Thanks. The way bushido is talked about, and used by some pixel warriors cracks me up. We even have a silly gesture making fun of it all, called “Show me your bushido!” Values aren’t something you judge others with, or beat other people over the head with when you are arsed,, they are something you live by, quietly. Plus, just step back from the monitor for a minute, and get some perspective. I’m I a real samurai? LMAO umm, that would be NO. Rock on Sanada!
July 3, 2010 at 7:04 pm
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Thank you for the enlightning informations… I was hopelessly searching the web for clean and simple information about “Bushido” and at last i find this topic. I’m very happy and satisfied.
Best regards from Turkey!
December 12, 2010 at 11:47 am
My chosen Buddhist name is Wa Dok. I make tea. I respect the sword as a symbol of the necessity to use force to retain freedom. I do sword exercises and live a life of respectful regard for other persons and their property. I use my swords in exercises and for display only. I have never taken any life that I am aware of, yet I consider myself equal to any warrior of any time one might name.
To me, a warrior is anynone who is willing to fight instead of run; especially for a just cause and/or reason. Although I have my share of physical wounds, there are many ways one man can injure another without leaving a trace of the violence that took place. I have some of those wounds as well.
It is not fake to be a simple clerk by day and a willing warrior at other times. In fact, a person with a double life can be a devastatingly effective warrior. I submit this for your consideration.
Wa Dok
April 28, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Greetings Wa Dok. Thank you for your comment. I am not sure if you are into the Second Life Game too. If you are, It would be an honor to meet you. My post was referring to some players of the game using the combat samurai island game system. The period is Edo Japan. If you are not, then this email may be a nuisance. Nevertheless, I appreciate the comments, I am pretty sure it is a big reminder to some people roleplaying as samurais in the C:SI combat system, thus the title C:SI: Bushido or Bullshitdo.Thank you.
April 29, 2011 at 6:25 am
Bushido in my blood!
May 16, 2011 at 4:48 am
but do you know 注意 and のロジック , ,
December 28, 2011 at 4:31 am