sponsors

 

 

sponsors

 

 

 

 

Take the basketball for instance; it has been in use for over 100 years, why have not numerous styles of basketball play been founded. Is it because the original basketball game is so perfect that it does not need improvement? Granted there have been minor rule changes to the game through the years but it is still basically the same game as invented in 1891. Some variations of the game have been founded through the years, but they have been viewed as eclectic and useless, and have quickly passed into oblivion. Rather than change the game, basketball players have been content to play the game and try to be the best at the game that they may be. Rather than just striving to be the best an existing martial art, which will take a lot of hard work and may never occur, many martial artists simply found a martial art that conforms to their ability and declare themselves the grand master of the art.

Some may say basketball is a sport and not related to combat so it is not fair to compare it to the martial arts. Well, let us examine the handgun. Its use is certainly a combat weapon. There are currently only a few effective ways to fire a handgun in self-defense, so why has not some master founded a new way to fire it? Maybe holding the weapon upside down, firing from a one-legged stance, or maybe firing it while also firing a Tazer from the other hand. There is no reason to invent a new way to use something that works just fine the way it is.

However, in the martial arts, people feel compelled to found a new way, not necessarily a more effective or efficient way, just a new way, of doing a simple thing, such as a punch or kick. Why is this? Ego is the answer. When you are nothing special in a group of special people and you want to be a special, you create the illusion of being someone special, even if it is only within your own neighborhood. Being the founder of a new martial art makes egocentric people feel special.

Some people think different is better. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. It does not matter that something is ineffective or inefficient, all that matters is that it is different than that everyone else is doing. Moreover, what is better than not only doing something different, but being the founder of something different?

Martial arts students start out studying a martial art of their choice. Sometimes they may change arts until they find one that best suits them, but at some point, most settle on one art. Many drop out of training after awhile but a few will train for years until they make black belt. After making black belt, most keep training for a year of two but then many drop out due to loss of interest. Some keep training and making personal progress for the rest of their lives. Some enjoy teaching others so they begin teaching. Most of those who stay with an art are content with growing the art and making it better. However, some have a desire for more power and prestige that they may attain within the art, so they make some minor change to the art, add some impressive sounding but totally useless terminology and wild unproven theories, give their creation a new impressive sounding name, and then make themselves the supreme grand master or soke of the new art.

Page 2 of 7:  NEXT  Back  First  Last | Share | Errors | Last Modified:

Subtopics:  NEXT | None 

Topic:  Comments: Add View | Sources | Related: None