Clark Kent
<B>News Bot</B>
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A different perspective...
By Jack Latorre - Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:01:56 GMT
Originally Posted at: FMATalk
====================
Greetings All--
With all of the posturing and anger becoming prevalent on the forums, it is worth keeping some things in mind in a civilized, free-thought/speech sort of place.
While there are many good martial systems/styles for any number of people out there, it is just as important to have a quality instructor that suits your needs.
And as important as it is to have that kind of instructor helping you, it is even more important that the 'system/style' serve the practitioner...not the practitioner in servitude to the 'system/style'.
And while there is gratitude to the instructor and the ones before him/her which brought the information to you, it is the 'system/style' and its effectiveness that should be the "star of the show"...and not the ego of any ONE individual. If should anything befall that one individual, then the system suffers with that individual. And systems will not survive that way.
The hazing, posturing and dogma serve no one save a collective ego. And ego is the product of an individual...not a set of principles to live and train by. By preparing to fight other law-abiding citizens (who happen to be martial artists), we forget who we are truly preparing for...muggers, rapists, terrorists and the like.
In the Philippines, there is this cultural phenomena known as 'walang hiya', which is basically 'without shame'...an insult that deeply damages a Filipino's sense of 'amor proprio' or self-love and its far reaching implications. Shame very much helps define the Filipino sense of right and wrong...from admonitions from relatives to teasing from friends...it can prevent a Filipino from doing what is right in Westerner's eyes and can make Filipinos stab each other over things like the actual date of Christmas. Filipinos have a need to save face and, in geveral, this is tacitly understood socially and Filipinos normally allow each other some social latitude so the other can in fact save face. It is when there is that lack of latitude, combined with what is considered 'walang hiya' that tempers can flare and things can get way out of hand. This is not to say that one side was right and the other was wrong or that both sides are right in their own way...it just means that things snowball way past what most of us consider 'appropriate'.
It is a family matter, unfortunately aired out in public. And it can be embarrassing to those wanting to focus soley on the martial art aspect of it. Please keep in mind that the Philippines were conquered in part from the lack of togetherness that many Filipinos lack even now. I don't consider the importance of this a 'my tribe is better than your tribe' sort of thing'...the importance of this is in seeing in another individual a person who may have your back in trying times.
Regards,
Jack A. Latorre
Read More...
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FMATalk.com Post Bot - FMA Feed
By Jack Latorre - Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:01:56 GMT
Originally Posted at: FMATalk
====================
Greetings All--
With all of the posturing and anger becoming prevalent on the forums, it is worth keeping some things in mind in a civilized, free-thought/speech sort of place.
While there are many good martial systems/styles for any number of people out there, it is just as important to have a quality instructor that suits your needs.
And as important as it is to have that kind of instructor helping you, it is even more important that the 'system/style' serve the practitioner...not the practitioner in servitude to the 'system/style'.
And while there is gratitude to the instructor and the ones before him/her which brought the information to you, it is the 'system/style' and its effectiveness that should be the "star of the show"...and not the ego of any ONE individual. If should anything befall that one individual, then the system suffers with that individual. And systems will not survive that way.
The hazing, posturing and dogma serve no one save a collective ego. And ego is the product of an individual...not a set of principles to live and train by. By preparing to fight other law-abiding citizens (who happen to be martial artists), we forget who we are truly preparing for...muggers, rapists, terrorists and the like.
In the Philippines, there is this cultural phenomena known as 'walang hiya', which is basically 'without shame'...an insult that deeply damages a Filipino's sense of 'amor proprio' or self-love and its far reaching implications. Shame very much helps define the Filipino sense of right and wrong...from admonitions from relatives to teasing from friends...it can prevent a Filipino from doing what is right in Westerner's eyes and can make Filipinos stab each other over things like the actual date of Christmas. Filipinos have a need to save face and, in geveral, this is tacitly understood socially and Filipinos normally allow each other some social latitude so the other can in fact save face. It is when there is that lack of latitude, combined with what is considered 'walang hiya' that tempers can flare and things can get way out of hand. This is not to say that one side was right and the other was wrong or that both sides are right in their own way...it just means that things snowball way past what most of us consider 'appropriate'.
It is a family matter, unfortunately aired out in public. And it can be embarrassing to those wanting to focus soley on the martial art aspect of it. Please keep in mind that the Philippines were conquered in part from the lack of togetherness that many Filipinos lack even now. I don't consider the importance of this a 'my tribe is better than your tribe' sort of thing'...the importance of this is in seeing in another individual a person who may have your back in trying times.
Regards,
Jack A. Latorre
Read More...
------------------------------------
FMATalk.com Post Bot - FMA Feed
