Is Humility becoming a lost art in MA's?

[foreveryoung001]

(she often says "anyone who calls himself humble really isn't humble")

 

Reminds me of the old joke,

 

My church awarded me win a pin for being the most humble... they took it back, though, because I actually wore it.

 

But that is exactly the attitude I am refering to. Our instructor would have kicked us out of class if he had story of this kind of attitude come back to him about us. Could this be a side effect of the so-called "McDojo"? The MA's in some schools start to suffer, and so goes the humility of living with that art?

Edited October 18, 2004 by foreveryoung001

[Karate Kid]

Humility has not necessarily been lost in the martial arts. While the methods of teaching and perhaps even some of the philosophy may have been altered over the past decades, I believe humility itself can only be taught through one's own defeat and other such humbling experiences. In my recent excursion to a local tournament, I was placed amongst two other fighters. Before the match we wished eachother good luck, and afterwards we complimented eachother and shook hands. I digressed from my general point, but I also believe this example may have enforced it to some degree.

[ramymensa]

Not to get off the subject here (to late!), but I think I missed the news story on this one. Who are you talking about is "the greatest master of all time"?

In general ... there are some instructors who think they are the beginning and the end of life on earth .. some of you might have had the pleasure.

 

What I was saying was that I do respect the people in my dojo, not because of their rank, but because they are good people. And I demand respect, as I am a human being. Restect is won through hard work and decent behaviour, not just because some have a darker belt. So I wasn't hinting at anyone ...

[White Warlock]

I don't demand respect. I'll just take it if given. Anyway, i agree that there are many who don't present humility. It's pretty annoying. Hell, i'm pretty annoying, because i act like i'm not humble, just to play the role that i've seen so very often posed by punks and dweebs, and all those inbetween who attempt to cover up their insecurities with audacity and pomposity.

 

I suppose this is something to consider. It may be that there are simply more practitioners today entering into competitions when they're not 'ready' to do so. I have noted that many schools are eager to fill up their windows with trophies, and thus rush their students to learn what 'works' in a competition, but won't work worth * in the streets.

 

The new trend, perhaps?

[jarrettmeyer]

I completely agree that humility cannot be taught; it must be experienced. Either you believe that there is more to learn/see/do out there in the world, or you believe that you personally are the end-all be-all of everything.

 

It doesn't just have to be physical defeat, although that might be the most readily obvious to create humility. You also need to realize that there is so much more to learn. So much, in fact, that you will never learn all of it in your lifetime.

[Bleeding Lion]

Sorry to disagree, but i believe humility is taught, even though it is done with a different approach. humility is one of those behaviour we emulate, so if a sensei does not show some or does not reprimand the lack of it when his students dont behave in front of him, humility wont be learned.

[Sandhoppa]

Hey Bleeding Lion, email me, I am learning Goju ryu also and Master Jules wanted to talk to both of us about training!

 

man_on_fire82@yahoo.com

[Bleeding Lion]

sure sandhoppa, i will email you later.

[The Saint]

Generally I can agree with: a dissappearing lack of sportsmanship or humility. If you look outside MA it is happening in other sports too. In the NFL some players act as thou they are the center of the Universe and take helents off the show there pretty face to the cameras. The lack of respect or humilaty in the NHL is shown through excessive stick work resulting in lots of injuries.

 

I personally have notice the lack of humillity in some MA tournaments that I have been to. However, I have also noticed a great sense of sportsmanship. I prefer to look at the good of the tournaments as opposed to the bad. I do compete to win, and everyone that competes deserves mutal respect.

[47MartialMan]

I remember seeing this same behavior in the first tournament that I went to in the early 90's.

 

It was in New Orleans at the USKA World Championships. A guy from The Blue Lions Karate Academy(a very flashy style) was fighting another guy from a more traditional school. The Blue Lion guy hit the other guy and knocked him out of the ring. He got called for excessive contact but by the way he was jumping around and the Blue Lion crowd was cheering for him you'd think he just one the match. The guy that got knocked down just shook it off, shook his head as if to say, "yeah, alright if that's the way you want to play.". He came back into the ring and the match continued. Immediately the guy that got knocked out of the ring faked and put a BIG hammerfist right on the Blue Lion guy's forehead. KO and the other guy was disqualified for excessive contact. He bowed politely to the judge and left the ring. I guess he wasn't one to stand for lack of humility either.

 

Weird, funny you should mention Blue Lion-