“I believe in compulsory cannibalism. If people were forced to eat what they killed, there would be no more wars.”
~Abbie Hoffman
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Written by :MikeIcon
Nathaniel - Is it that you don't want to learn or that you are too afraid of the negative effects to take the chance? If breathing fire were as safe as drinking water, would you still feel the same way?
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Sounds like jealousy and fear to me. I was kind of the same way before I learned more about it and did it myself. Its like "Man, I think its really cool and wish I could do it... But I don't have the guts... So Im just gonna rant about how dangerous it is to discourage others." Like 'if I can't have it no one can' mentality...
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Also, these videos of people screwing up don't really inspire others to try it I don't think either.
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And saying "those who do it, even professionally are bound to encounter health issues" is an assumption and the same could be said for any fire art (or many other occupations for that matter).
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Lastly, you said yourself that people were able to steal your crowd by doing a staff burnoff... So, does that mean we should lynch staffers too so that you and your non-crowd pleasing poi skills can look cooler? Pssh - How about being more creative and learning how to work a crowd instead of standing in one spot spinning tech tricks which to YOU are the coolest thing ever, but to a crowd are kinda lame. :: You can obviously see what the crowd likes - As a performer, it is your duty to entertain a crowd, not entertain yourself. Saying "lets cut out the best parts of our show so that the less interesting parts stand out" is kinda counter productive IMO.
Written by :NathanielEverist
............I had a performance today alongside a couple of staff twirlers, who did burnouts and the crowd ooed and aahed, while I was on poi. I twirled at a far higher level than they did, if I may say so myself, but afterwards people came up to me and were asking me why I couldn't do "the big fireball thing" and asked "aren't you as good as them?". I explained but they just had the "why learn poi then?" kinda attitude. To the ignorant crowd, more speed and more fire equals more skills. Sad but true, and they feel the same about fire-breathing. And if you don't believe idiots will see it and try and copy, just check out youtube. Idiots aside even, those who learn properly and are really good at it, still generally end up with health issues. Why perpetuate that? And there is no hate involved, I never have and never will harbour or express any malcontent towards any fire-breathers, and have a huge degree of respect for them, I just don't think the art should continue.
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Written by : MikeIcon
Nathaniel - Is it that you don't want to learn or that you are too afraid of the negative effects to take the chance? If breathing fire were as safe as drinking water, would you still feel the same way?
Written by :MikeIcon
Why do you assume culture is better off without fire breathing just because a few idiots decide to try it without getting proper knowledge and hurt themselves? Why do you feel you have a right to judge what is and what is not good for culture? How is fire breathing any different than any other fire art in those respects? You can still kill yourself or others while spinning poi and you can still inspire 'idiots' to go home and try to spin fire and hurt themselves. Chances are, anyone who runs home and tries any fire art without proper instruction is about due for a kick in the ass to bring them back to reality. Afterall, I highly doubt after setting their face on fire and getting 3rd degree burns on 40% of their face these people will try it again. Also, these videos of people screwing up don't really inspire others to try it I don't think either.
Written by :MikeIcon
And saying "those who do it, even professionally are bound to encounter health issues" is an assumption and the same could be said for any fire art (or many other occupations for that matter).
Written by :Onewheeldave
Fire poi is undeniably, in general and,on the whole, far, far safer than fire-breathing.
Written by :MikeIcon
Lastly, you said yourself that people were able to steal your crowd by doing a staff burnoff... So, does that mean we should lynch staffers too so that you and your non-crowd pleasing poi skills can look cooler? Pssh - How about being more creative and learning how to work a crowd instead of standing in one spot spinning tech tricks which to YOU are the coolest thing ever, but to a crowd are kinda lame. :: You can obviously see what the crowd likes - As a performer, it is your duty to entertain a crowd, not entertain yourself. Saying "lets cut out the best parts of our show so that the less interesting parts stand out" is kinda counter productive IMO.
Written by :Onewheeldave
Nathaniel- don't be discouraged: on this occasion you were approached by audience members with no appreciation of skill, who were suckers for the cheap spectacle approach.
Written by :Onewheeldave
At the end of the day, the general public hace seen loads of fire-breathing, in a few years, big staff burn-offs will be just as commonplace- both those can be learnt very quickly and easily- truly skillful spinning will always be rarer and, take longer to achieve a high level in.
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Written by :MikeIcon
My point is that I said your earlier post sounded like fear and jealousy... Fear in the sense that you fear the negative health effects so you won't do it but are jealous of how it effects your performance or how others see your art. You said it wasn't because you were afraid, but because you didn't want to. Im simply showing that it ISN'T because you dont want to, but because you are afraid of the consequences.
Written by :NathanielEverist
But after seeing all the info on how dangerous it is, I opted not to do it
Written by :NathanielEverist
Yes, you're right I don't have the guts to do it myself, but the difference is that I don't wish I could do it. I know that if I wanted to do it, I could learn, but I don't want to learn
Written by :NathanielEverist
I'll admit and have already admitted (did you read my posts?) in a second that I am too afraid of the health repercussions of fire-breathing.
Written by :MikeIcon
First off, ultra pure lamp oil is non-carcinogenic until it is burned, in which case, you are inhaling probably more carcinogens while spinning poi than while breathing fire.
Written by :MikeIcon
Fire breathing these days is much less dangerous than it used to be... However, part of the secret to breathing fire is keeping up the general belief that it is more dangerous than it is (as in all fire arts). Yes, it is dangerous and people like Pele will tell you all about it... However, cases like Pele's are extreme and rare. Fire breathing is NOT a death sentence. Sure, if you breathe fire 20 times per night 6 days a week for 10 years you'll probably end up in bad shape. If you breathe fire for 5 minutes 4 times a month during your 20's and 30's, chances are you'll be ok. I know plenty of performers who have been breathing for years without incident or major health issues.
Written by :MikeIcon
Yes, I made a lot of assumptions and I probably shouldn't have. I was kind of speaking more metaphorically though... Basically just trying to say that it's not because the staffers made a giant plume of fire, its just because the staffers connected more with the audience made a bigger impact. Its not the tool but how you use it and so on. .. You shouldn't have to worry about if the other guy has bigger fire than you if you can work your own stuff correctly.
Written by :MikeIcon
Yes, it is easy to spit fuel through flame and produce results... However, it is also easy to set a poi on fire and spin it around.
Written by :MikeIcon
GOOD fire breathing is just as hard to achieve as good spinning. There is DEFINITELY a huge amount of skill required to breathe fire in a controlled manner. Perhaps a lot of this bias towards breathing is just that not enough of you have encountered a GOOD fire breather (as admittedly, there are very few of us). If you think good spinners are rare, just think of how rare good breathers are (since there are only like 1/100th the amount of breathers to spinners as it is)
Written by :MikeIcon
Really, Im just offended by your anti-fire breathing stance as quoted in "everything should be done to make it an extinct practice" because that, to me, sounds like hate and fear
Written by :MikeIcon
I feel like you may still be a bit fresh in this field... Pardon if Im wrong.
Written by :MikeIcon
Also, news flash, all fire arts are bad for you! None of them are safe. None of them are healthy. They will all cause accidents and negative health effects if done improperly or excessively... Just like everything else in this world.
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This really kills me coming from you Dave... Yes, it is easy to spit fuel through flame and produce results... However, it is also easy to set a poi on fire and spin it around. GOOD fire breathing is just as hard to achieve as good spinning. There is DEFINITELY a huge amount of skill required to breathe fire in a controlled manner. Perhaps a lot of this bias towards breathing is just that not enough of you have encountered a GOOD fire breather (as admittedly, there are very few of us). If you think good spinners are rare, just think of how rare good breathers are (since there are only like 1/100th the amount of breathers to spinners as it is)
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Written by :MikeIcon
Just take a look at the MSDS - https://www.nafaa.org/ultra-pure.pdf
Read the hazard info in section 3 (doesn't sound so bad eh?)
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
"to a man whose only tool is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail." Abraham Maslow
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Written by :MikeIcon
As I already said in my previous post "The ultimate risks for any fire art are the same - serious injury or death."
You know, you can also get chemical pneumonia and probably ARDS if you inhale enough fumes and smoke from your burning poi as well.
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Written by :
Pele's case is the worst I've heard and that's pretty good out of the thousands of people who have been breathing fire in recent history
"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."
--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32
Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me