Does the study hinder or help your martial arts?

[JadecloudAlchemist]

Most of the time I log on I see the new threads and alot of it is in the Study or its subcatagory. I see debates, heated exchanges and personal shots. It makes me so sick sometimes I don't even want to be on this site.

Does the study help you in your martial arts or life?

Does it hinder your training or cause conflict in your life?

 

[Sukerkin]

I am in agreement with the feelings that the drek that swills about in the Study engenders. I am also in agreement that the energy people expend in there means that the forums that the site is supposed to be about see less traffic.

It's existence, however, only has an impact on my life because of the role I play on the site. As a Moderator, I cannot simply put the worst offenders on ignore and I cannot choose not to read the threads that burn, seemingly eternally, in there.

That means that I get to enjoy the vista of a number of people acting at (what I hope) is their worst almot everyday. Now that does have an effect on you as a person, daft as it sounds; it is just the same as being immersed in any negative environment.

For other, non-Staff, members of the board, tho', I would hope that it is not such a deterrent to their visiting as all that. After all, they can elect not to got here and so are untouched by it - and there are some discussions that go on in there that are interesting and open.

Of course, it may well be that new people coming in click the New Posts link, dip their electronic spoon into the bowl of intolerant, shortsighted and partisan soup and decide to go elsewhere. We can't know that because they don't post and don't register.

 

[tshadowchaser]

I am a mod but I have to say that I stay away from the study much of the time. I joined the forum way back in time when Martial arts where discussed and we had no study , and I kind of liked it like that.
I have no problem with those that post more often in the study than in the martial arts section but often wonder why they are on a martial arts forum not a political one.
As for dose it interfere with my practice of the arts. NOPE not one little bit

 

[Cryozombie]

I have no problem with those that post more often in the study than in the martial arts section but often wonder why they are on a martial arts forum not a political one.

I tell ya what... and this is NOT a shot at the site, the site management and policies, Bob, or anyone else...

BUT... The Section of the board that pertains to my art attracts a lot of... "colorful charactors"... and has by and large been abandoned by most of the serious, knowlageable students, and masters of our art, who were here when I joined, and part of the reason I joined. Since then too much touchy feely you gotta be nice and accept the "Im a Kug Makedup Ninja" or "my genderswapping wannabeninjamaster with no teaching credentials is the only one who really knows the truth and I dont have to tell you more its a sekret" B.S. has driven them to boards more in touch with what we do. That said, *I* still feel I have common ground and many long time posters here, so I don't wanna abandon the place like they did for other forums, So I post more often in the non-MA areas of the board. The Study, the Locker Room, etc, giving input in the other areas as I can. *shrug*

 

[grydth]

Probably a little of both.

Time spent debating Study issues could be spent practicing... yet we are not one dimensional beings, either. On the other hand, I may visit originally to debate a Study thread and wind up seeing/reading/posting on several Chinese MA or general MA threads.

 

[elder999]

Most of the time I log on I see the new threads and alot of it is in the Study or its subcatagory. I see debates, heated exchanges and personal shots. It makes me so sick sometimes I don't even want to be on this site.

Does the study help you in your martial arts or life?

Does it hinder your training or cause conflict in your life?

For me, personally, dicussing martial arts on line can be fun and interesting, but not always fruitful-even with video, it's easy to misunderstand and be misunderstood. At any rate, my posting has remained divided abou 50-50 between the Study, and everything else....

as for the Study, it does help me in martial arts and life, and it doesn't hinder my training-or cause me any conflicts. This last is important:it's only the Internet. Doesn't put food on my table, don't really have to live with any of the people I disagreee with, maybe even never have to see them. If it bothers me-or my behavior bothers me-I can just turn it off, and stay away.

On the other hand, it's a good thing to discuss current events and to see other's viewpoints on pertinent issues, and try to reach some understanding of their viewpoint. Fact is, I do have to deal with people that I don't agree with, or people who's viewpoints are more than a little disturbing or just vastly different from mine: I did a search at an airport about 6 years ago, and it was notable because the two airport police who accompanied me insisted on prostletyzing the entire time-pointing out how important it was that I be a Chrisitian and be "saved" because of the good work I was doing. I could tune them out, and even tell them to shut up (because they were interfering with how I was doing my job, not because of what they were saying) but I can't very well go about "turning" off or setting everyone I disagree with that I encounter in person to "Ignore." :lol:

Lastly, the Study is a good place to practice perfecting my character-at least I've come to view it that way. I have the fortunate, or unfortunate position of always thinking I'm right-because I usually am :lol:. Consequently, I don't tolerate dissent very well, or seek concensus-I usually determine what the best path forward is, and put everyone to work implementing it. THis works real well in my work life, especially in emergency situations, but not so well in personal interactions, or in discussions like those that take place in the Study-although, there are some viewpoints here that I just won't ever see eye to eye on, I might not otherwise get to interact with people that hold those viewpoints, and we all at least have one thing in common: a love for martial arts.

Hitotsu! Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuru koto:We will strive to perfect our character-Shotokan dojo kun....

 

[Bob Hubbard]

At the risk of royally pissing off some 8th, 9th, 10th and 23rd dans out there....

This site allows all non-staff members to use a feature called "ignore" that removed those whose comments offend from your view. One needs only the discipline to make a couple of clicks, then not go back and peek. Sadly, that isn't enough, we are expected to take one pompous ***'s opinion over another pompous *** as to what is the right way to break a brick or a stick or bust a head. These people who demand so loudly that we keep the frauds off the site, also usually are too cheap to drop $20 on us to fund this, yet often charge $100-200/hr for privates. The KMA people threaten to sue everytime you mention they someone they hate, the Ninjas get their pjs in a knot whenever someone not in the current "cool people" list is mentioned, the FMA guys threaten to kill you, and so on. I've lost count on how many so called "masters" have left because we don't let them insult, swear or browbeat us, or because we don't kiss their *** to their liking. Of course, god help us if we were to act like they do here in their own school. See, that's disrespectful, that's not "martial", etc. I know of 3 high level kenpo masters who won't sign up here simply because I'm not a paid member of their organizations. I know several Arnis masters who won't sign up here because I trained under someone they have issues with. I know a few who won't sign up because I don't have a black belt. Seeing a trend in the "any excuse" list here?

Often cited is how we "bend over and kiss the *** of the frauds". Because we don't let people turn every single ****ing thread into a demand for credentials, or a rehash of a dried up rehashing of a horse so dead the Egyptians had mumified it. Because we insist that you not bang on the table and make demands like an angry Soviet PM. Because -we- don't demand a DNA scan and sniff the poop of everyone coming in with a fancy title or claim of being "martial arts god". Funny thing....the real frauds, even under our current "roll out the welcome mat" policy (as I saw some of our former members say elsewhere) don't last long here. We get 1, they wilt under even the limited questioning we do allow, and they leave. Or they get banned after showing their true maturity.

The Study is here, like the joke area, like the newsletter, like the womans area, like a dozen areas, for those who want them. Don't want them? Stay out of them. Don't like someone, either use the Ignore feature, or have the discipline to not react and lash out when they say something that pisses you off.

I find the arguments and discussions here to be interesting. Sometimes I don't like them, sometimes I don't like the topic, on a few occasions I flat out hated the topic. Y'all still got to discuss it. Does some of it get tiring? Yep. Does some of it disappoint or discourage? Yup. Stop reading it then, and focus on the other parts that make ou feel better. I don't go into bars because I don't like them...But I'm happy to let others enjoy them.

This site's pretty open, and if you can act like an adult, you can say quite a lot here. No one is forced to open any threads in any area they don't like, and I know we have hundreds of members who focus on their art areas and who tune out all the "noise". I know we have hundreds who come here to put their feet up an shoot the **** who avoid the art areas but who live in the study/lockerroom or game areas. It's all good. Just don't live on the site, balance that with real training time, maybe with some of the folks you met on here....seems alot of people ind new training partners, or friends through here.

Kinda why we're here.

 

[Twin Fist]

everybody poops.

thats why every house has a toilet

MT has the study

 

[Bob Hubbard]

...Actually, that's why we have The Great Debate.

 

[Lisa]

I was really burnt out a while back and for that reason and a few RL issues I basically fell off the MT Earth. It was a good thing for me, I needed it.

Today is basically my first day back. I am finding the site refreshing again and enjoying the exchange of ideas.

Basically if someone sick and tired of seeing it, do what Bob suggested or just take a vacation. It will do them a whole lot of good.

Nothing here on MT should sicken someone so much that they don't want to be here. If it is then perhaps they should be focusing more on their real life then letting the things being said on an internet forum upset them so. It is just not worth it.

 

[Cryozombie]

I've lost count on how many so called "masters" have left because we don't let them insult, swear or browbeat us, or because we don't kiss their *** to their liking. Of course, god help us if we were to act like they do here in their own school. See, that's disrespectful, that's not "martial", etc. I know of 3 high level kenpo masters who won't sign up here simply because I'm not a paid member of their organizations. I know several Arnis masters who won't sign up here because I trained under someone they have issues with. I know a few who won't sign up because I don't have a black belt. Seeing a trend in the "any excuse" list here?

Often cited is how we "bend over and kiss the *** of the frauds". Because we don't let people turn every single ****ing thread into a demand for credentials, or a rehash of a dried up rehashing of a horse so dead the Egyptians had mumified it. Because we insist that you not bang on the table and make demands like an angry Soviet PM. Because -we- don't demand a DNA scan and sniff the poop of everyone coming in with a fancy title or claim of being "martial arts god". Funny thing....the real frauds, even under our current "roll out the welcome mat" policy (as I saw some of our former members say elsewhere) don't last long here. We get 1, they wilt under even the limited questioning we do allow, and they leave. Or they get banned after showing their true maturity.

Like I said above Bob, none of that was meant as an Insult to the site... I get where you are coming from... All I meant, was that with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions all of the ranking "trustworthy" voices in our art (maybe more, I dont know who all the Genbukan guys are in their hierarchy) having left because they were fed up with the crap (right or wrong, I'm not gonna judge) there isn't a lot of info going around, and it seems to be the trend that you ask and are answered with "Ask your teacher" (which Id be supprised if it wasnt code for "how the hell do I know")... BUT I LIKE MARTIAL TALK so I post more in other areas. Thats all I'm saying.

 

[Archangel M]

If realizing that people have varying beliefs is a BAD thing then perhaps the study isnt the place for you. If you want the world to be all rainbows and daisys where everybody always gets along...well...good luck.

 

[Tez3]

Any time I spend in the study isn't any time I'd be training. The Study is my bribe to get the housework done ( I hate housework and wonder why when three of us live in the house I'm the only one who seems to actually do it! but thats a whole 'nother argument lol) I will log on have a look through everything on the new posts section ( I read very fast, type fast too) then if theres an argument I want to have in the study I'll post something, go away make beds, hoover floors etc etc then come back post something else and so I get my housework done!! Brilliant!
Like Lisa though I've been away for 12 days down in lovely Cornwall so I'm having a catch up. I missed you all but as Lisa says it's nice to come back and find things are fresh.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Wasn't taking it as a criticism of the site. I wish more of the experienced voices would stick around, but I can't make em, and I'm not going to boot everyone they have issues with, just because.. which is often the thing. I get tired of the "I can't post that, someone might quote me later" crap. Stay off the internet then. I post my photos all over the place, and send dozens of take-down notices when they are misused by others. Part of the game, y'know.

But if posting on a web board is interfering with your training well.....time to log off and hit the mats. The art politics spoiled it alot faster for me, than the politics politics did. I think that's why out Meets are so much fun. No org politics, just good people, good training, and good fun.

 

[Tames D]

Bob, I have you on ignore so I don't know what you said. But I bet it was GOOD.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

If I wanna post something, I post something, if I'ver had too much, I just thank the posts I like( which don't all have to be of the same viewpoint BTW) and move on.

I get burned out of how the country's going to hell, that's why me and Bill Mattocks do our Duelling "With Apologies To" threads of 80's song covers

 

[arnisador]

I am in agreement with the feelings that the drek that swills about in the Study engenders. I am also in agreement that the energy people expend in there means that the forums that the site is supposed to be about see less traffic.

I definitely think it takes away from arts-related posts.

On the other hand, if it wasn't here then the many of the same topics would end up "leaking" into the arts-related areas.

On the other other hand, after 8 (!) years I've posted on just about every martial arts topic I am knowledgeable on and many that I'm not, and less and less often feel compelled to repeat things for new users. That's the nature of the net.

Oh, and WB, Lisa!

It is nice to be able to discuss these things where people share the same jargon! You can use martial arts analogies freely. "See, Israel and Palestine is kind of like the Parker and Tracy Kenpo branches..."

 

[seasoned]

You know the old adage about, religion and politics. For this reason I stay clear. I do love Martial Arts, and think that is what draws people here to MT, with all the rest, just something for everyone. All in all, this is one heck of a place to not only acquire an addiction, but at the same time try to quench it.

 

[Flying Crane]

I tend to not contribute to the study. I didn't always. the problem was, I found some people so insulting in their righteousness that I actually could not see past it and be willing to engage in other discussions with them. It's not a matter of simply having differences of opinions. It was a matter of being truly insulting, and pompous and self-righteous in the process. I feel like the study is where people often let their true colors show. Because of this, there are a couple of people for whom I simply do not have any respect and with whom I will not engage in any discussion whatsoever. And it's too bad, because prior to that, we had engaged in reasonable discussions about martial arts issues.

It does leave a bad taste in the mouth, and it's caused me to consider taking an extended and possibly permanent vacation from martial talk. I've taken short breaks in the past and that's helped, but sometimes I feel like the study sort of poisons the site and it can leak into other areas.

 

[jks9199]

The Study is there. It keeps some of the headaches out of the rest of the site. I read a few threads there, if the topics interest me, or if they're called to staff attention. I don't spend a lot of time in The Study. (I think most of my non-staff posting is in General Martial Arts.)

The Study is there if you want it. You don't have to go there...