side note

[Jade Tigress]

Yes. :ultracool

However, I've met more people who practice martial arts who are lacking in these tenets than aren't. Just because someone wears that rank doesn't mean their heart has a black belt and we ALL know this.

So ... we can only hope to teach by example, I think.

This is so true. Black belts can be bought, lots of McDojo's, lots of young, immature people in the arts who have the need to be right about everything. Then there are those who just can't respectfully disagree. Lots of testosterone induced chest thumping.

Overall the members of this board are intelligent and respectful, but on the internet you get such a variety of people together there are bound to be bad apples. There are alot of people who want to learn martial arts for the wrong reasons and plenty of instructors willing to take their money for it. There is no doubt the caliber of people on this board far outweigh the majority of other martial arts boards and I'm thankful to Bob and the MT staff for creating an atmosphere here which attracts that standard of martial artist. Some "bad apples" may just be trolls who like to stir up trouble for the fun of it.

It's an unfortunate fact that you have to take the bad with the good.

 

[Andrew Green]

I'm not sure I'd agree--not to the level I had it in, say, Karate. Yes, there's a judo-like strategy, but a philosophy? I'm not so sure.

Sure there is, the philosophy and the strategy are tied together though. But it is responsible for things like the Gracie Challenge, The UFC, etc.

It is very different then Karate, and it is approached very differently (No "spiritual" lessons), but there is a distinct philosophy to BJJ.

 

[arnisador]

OK, I can agree with this, but I think philosophy is too strong a word for their strategy and views, when compared to the pacifism taught in many styles of Karate. They have more of a way of doing business, I'd say--a vision.

 

[Gemini]

However, martial Artists are pack animals and are very territorial. If they encounter a member or members of a rival pack they tend to get aggressive and posture themselves defensively. They don't like to admit this though, and in person most are able to mask these feelings. Given the annonymity of the internet and that they will not get "called" on anything they say and be put in a position of having to defend it on the mat these feelings will come out and they will lash out at members of other packs.

This would accurately describe my upbringing in martial arts. That includes the boards I used to go to. Right up until I came here. I was amazed at how almost everyone put their focus on the similarities of their arts and training instead of the obvious differences.

MT has given me a very different perspective on other arts and their members. So much that I've become fascinated with other arts and really would like to train in them. In addition to, not in place of my beloved TKd, of course.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

This is so true. Black belts can be bought, lots of McDojo's, lots of young, immature people in the arts who have the need to be right about everything. Then there are those who just can't respectfully disagree. Lots of testosterone induced chest thumping.

I wish it were only this. Unfortunately, many of the worst behaved, most immature and egotistical individuals I have met in the arts (in person or online) have been legitimately ranked, forty-five year old (or older) experienced traditionalists.

I don't think age is as much of a factor here as character and emotional maturity; who takes a 19 year old "master" of falsified lineage as seriously as a fifty year old child man with a high ranking, legitimately earned dan? My opinion is that a fifty year old child man does FAR, FAR more damage to the reputation of the arts than ANY 15-30 year old can.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I wish it were only this. Unfortunately, many of the worst behaved, most immature and egotistical individuals I have met in the arts (in person or online) have been legitimately ranked, forty-five year old (or older) experienced traditionalists.

I don't think age is as much of a factor here as character and emotional maturity; who takes a 19 year old "master" of falsified lineage as seriously as a fifty year old child man with a high ranking, legitimately earned dan? My opinion is that a fifty year old child man does FAR, FAR more damage to the reputation of the arts than ANY 15-30 year old can.

I agree and didn't mean to imply age was a sole factor, just another small facet of the overall population that can contribute to the problem. There are a couple young (high school age) brown belts in my class who are very humble and respectful and put many adults to shame. They are also well skilled in our art. The good thing about young people learning martial arts is that a good school produces these characteristics.

Also, you're right on the button that a fifty year old child man does far more damage to the reputation of the arts than any 15-30 year old can. I suppose I should have said immature people rather than young, immature people.

:asian: