Originally posted by Crazy Chihuahua
Your belt is just a belt. You should, of course, be able to throw it away if need be, but it is alright to be happy with your accomplishments.
Another reason for stripes is to show black belts in your own system who you don't see often (different cities, etc.) where you fit in the "hierarchy." At formal events, it wouldn't do to treat a third or fourth like a fellow second because you haven't seen them for so long you forgot they tested up. You should treat everyone with respect, obviously, but to put on the good publice display, you have to know who salutes first and who speaks when, etc.
I think this is basically it. Rank is your instructors opinion of you so if you are not with your instructor or fellow students then the rank has different meaning.
If you wear your rank in such a crowd, it establishes the pecking order.
If you wear your rank in a TV commercial, it is you showing everyone how good you are with your stuff/what your instructor thinks of you...
If you wear your belt to go shopping at the Grocery or the Mall it means that you are delerious.
I wrote somewhere on the site about Rank and Position. Wearing your rank amongst a group of "others" doesn't serve the purpose Mr. Parker outlined in Infinite Insights.
Personally, I am not likely going to ever have to worry about wearing a Bar or 5 stripes, but a bar is prescribed for that rank if Mr. Duffy gives it to me.
And since Mr. Parker finally endorsed the belt ranking system as a motivation and training aid, then you should be proud of your rank and wear it when you are called upon to do so.
If I'm not mistaken in the NCKKA a black belt could wear a Black Belt as they wished, but at formal NCKKA functions you had to wear your properly striped belt. Mr. Duffy mentioned once that he had a "formal" belt for those banquets and stuff. This seems logical to me as described above because it is only in such a setting that your "degree of black belt" has proper meaning.
I have more silly opinions but I agree with Crazy Chihuahua and Mr. C on this, you should be proud of your rank and there are times when you should wear it.
Oh, I was also going to say that not wearing your stripes would seem to indicate that you are insecure about them or embarassed by them. I know I've heard that Mr. Planas recently "accepted" a 10th from somewhere and that he was very reluctant to take a 9th before that. I think he has now gone to wearing a plain black belt.
And if you look at some of the pictures on Mr. LaBounty's website, he tucks his belt in so that no stripes show at all. Just a black belt.
Maybe this is evidence of some of the Seniors going back to "basic black."
I also don't think I've seen a picture of Mr. C with his 5th or 6th stripes on. I think at Seig's seminar he had just a plain black belt.
So there are 3 guys who seem to be in favor of wearing just a black belt, at least when in mixed company as it were.
I know Mr. C didn't have stripes on in the picture I got with him at camp last year partially because his promotion was recent.
When I see Mr. Planas next weekend (for my first seminar with him) I'll notice what belt he is wearing, but it would probably not be a good idea for me to ask him about this topic off the bat. I have not seen him since I interviewed him for the Homecoming Video. But if he brings it up, I'll probably follow up with a question.