Question 099: Certificate mills

Reader reply

Oh the debate continues...laughs...You say: that I seem to think you are arrogant for thinking that all ranks should test, and yet I frown upon higher ranks of other arts, TKD in particular, who were promoted faster than you were promoted and who, in your opinion, are lesser skilled. It seems to be a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

I don't think you are arrogant but perhaps narrow minded and are not looking at the industry as a whole or have not traveled and met many Martial Artists around this world to see the reality out there perhaps!?

Am I painting the kettle Black...simply pointing out that unless we come from a Shaolin Temple lineage all of the ranks including mine are "in the gray area" and should be determined upon a number of factors since there is "no standard" in the industry. Whether we got them through correspondence as an "honor" for "many years of hard work" or from a test after a few yrs of hard work...which is more credible?