james mcneil stories

[xingyijuan]

what incentive would he have to make all that shit up?

Well...

the amount of self-aggrandisement was a clear demonstration of egomania

that...

[bigphatwong]

Well, that depends on your definition of egomania, self-aggrandizement etc. Does egomania = being proud of your accomplishments? And if so, where do you draw the line? It's all relative IMO.

Hey... I don't know about you, but personally, if I could summon the Invisible Swordsman and harvest watermelons with my johnson? I'd think I was the cat's ass too.

[Finny]

Hey Wong, I'm not judging the man - by all accounts he can kick some serious ass

But the parts I quoted are seriously wacky - like ParryPerson said

And I'm not talking about the whole "summoning spirits" thing or the "aura" stuff or any other supernatural aspects of what he claims.

I'm talking about writing a book, where you quote other people as saying "Oh man, you're the best - you're so humble, skillful, powerful, and you're the greatest person ever to walk the earth..."

The quotes he attributes to others don't sound like anything I've EVER heard anyone say out loud.

That's all - disagree if you want.

[edededed]

Sounds like an interesting book

As for being over-complimented by older Chinese gentlemen... Weeell... It does seem to me that some of the older generation over there (and maybe the youngers, too, I dunno) can range from being exceedingly complimentary ("This is the best of my students! He has the best gongfu of everybody!") to disparagingly insulting ("Ha! He doesn't have any gongfu at all, he is even worse than a beginner, he has nothing!") depending on the current relationship (mianzi, guanxi, all that) with that student at that time.

[gasmaster]

For what it's worth, I've found Mcneil to be a very kind and generous guy in person. I understand why you guys say the things you do, but sometimes the knee jerk response gets a little tedious. None the less, everyone's entitled to their opinion.

[Chris Fleming]

Like I've said in other recent threads about him, I would love to learn from him. I worry about all the "spirit" references tho.

[xingyijuan]

I would worry about receiving the "full transmission"!

[Darthwing Teorist]

Well, that depends on your definition of egomania, self-aggrandizement etc. Does egomania = being proud of your accomplishments? And if so, where do you draw the line? It's all relative IMO.

True. I have to read it but he sounds awfully proud to be such a humble person.

[qiphlow]

Hey... I don't know about you, but personally, if I could summon the Invisible Swordsman and harvest watermelons with my johnson? I'd think I was the cat's ass too.

best sentences of the thread.

[Joe L.]

I just want to make it clear that is any of us had a chance to write a book about ourselves, a chance to tell the legend, a line like ''He was sent here by the gods and one day he will truly understand why.” would surely be added.

Maybe you just need to take it with a grain of salt coupled with the fact that if not taken too seriously its probably a really entertaining bit of fantasy. At the very least it begs to be quoted from many a time on EF

[madcow]

Sifu McNeil as I recall was very modest. And if he talks about a conversation, or an event, you can trust and believe it happened as described. Im looking forward to reading the book. I wonder If he will refer to me by name, or just as 'student'...