I haven’t given up on Alexander Technique, but some of its most vocal advocates have their heads up their asses. At least they’re not kinesthetically debauched.
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![](/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Autographed-ME_120.jpg" "Intellectual Pooperty")
The most vocal advocates of *anything* usually have their heads up their asses, because they’re the ones engaged in a kind of popularity contest. Beware!
As a longstanding teacher of the Alexander Technique, I confess that the cartoon contains a small grain of truth. But that is true of all specialist professions. Mark Twain (attib.) said that “to the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail” and we are not immune from this error.
That having been said, the A.T. is tremendously effective for posture and pain and there is now plenty of research evidence published in major medical journals to support this assertion. See this: Scientific Research on the Alexander Technique. And most AT teachers are well-meaning and earnest.
Don’t some of the most vocal advocates of just about anything have their heads up their asses?
Hope those heads don’t stay embedded–the cartoon is funny, but I know too many people who have been helped by the technique to take it so lightly, much less to trash it’s efficacy–Keep on not giving up–http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_technique
http://www.alexandertechnique.com/
I agree with all three comments, so far. The Alexander Technique is in so much need of publicity, that even this slightly negative cartoon might help! To Michelle’s point: As an Alexander Technique teacher, I get to help people, and I see amazing changes happen every day. Thanks for mentioning this amazing, practical technique.
Mark
I’m with Michelle on this – the Alexander Technique has helped lots of people. And I have to say I’m not even sure who these “vocal proponents” are. Certainly there are pompous jerks in the Alexander teaching profession but I can’t think of any profession that doesn’t have it’s share.
I kind of sad really because the first 2 panels of the strip are perfect and a good 3 panel strip could be very useful in getting across a key Alexander Technique insight – that good posture is not about some fixed position but the ability to easy adapt to changing circumstances. It seems clear that the artist knows a lot about the AT and I wish he/she would actually help the profession become better known by producing really useful comic strips relating to it.
Excellent point Susan. Personally my first thought when I saw it was “how funny, let’s share it with other Alexander teachers.” And it is very funny.
But you’re absolutely right, if the 3rd panel were changed, the entire cartoon could be a wonderful resource for the profession and, dare I say it, for human-kind.
BTW, I think we’re actually in or near “Alexander Awareness Week” Perhaps the cartoon is part of the program 🙂
A good translation of another definition of the Alexander Technique:
“You learn to keep your nose as far from your arse as you can” – a simpler project.
I like the cartoon, it made me laugh. The comment below would be less negative (and be more truthful perhaps) by simply replacing “but” with “and”, as in “I haven’t given up on the Alexander Technique, AND some of its most vocal advocates have their heads up their asses.” And frankly, we’re kinesthetically debauched to one degree or another.
With ease indeed!