Before you can criticize me, you must pay me!

If I want to learn your art, I have no problem in paying you to teach me. However, why should I have to buy your martial art class, book, video, seminar, etc. and make you richer before I may criticize your philosophies, concepts, beliefs, or martial art. If I learn about your philosophies, concepts, beliefs, or martial art from other sources, such as the library, why do I need to pay you before I may comment on them? No “master” or “organization” seems to mind if you praise them without paying them, however, if you criticize them, these same people think you should pay them first.

You don't know me!

Martial art “masters” and “organizations” sell books, videos, and home study courses that they say will permit you to learn and perfect all their special techniques. Apparently, they think a person may learn their art from a book, video, or home study course. However, when someone criticizes the “masters” or “organizations,” their defense is that you have to meet them in person or experience one of their classes in person before you may know enough about them to criticize them. Well! Which is it? If I may pay you and learn your art from a book, video, or home study course without ever seeing you or taking one of your live classes, then why is it that I cannot criticize your information without ever meeting you or attending one of your classes?

If your haven't experienced it, you cannot criticize it!

Some say, you cannot criticize or even comment on a "master" or a martial art unless you have trained in that art with that master. The premise is that, after training with the master, your perceptions of the master and the art will change and that you too will believe what they are teaching. Not everyone falls under the spell of charismatic "masters." That is why most have so few followers. I have not experienced using heroin, but I know enough about it to know it is harmful to not only the user but also to the public. Using my intellect, training, education, and common sense, I can certainly criticize heroin users and warn the public of its use with out ever using it myself. I am not foolish enough to spend my time and money to "experience" the teaching of a pseudo-master, motivational guru, or any other fraud.