Should respect be automatic?

[Ti-Kwon-Leap]

Respect has different meanings.

 

It can mean to hold in high regard, with honor or esteem.

 

It can also mean a willingness to show consideration, which I think should be academic.

 

If a person has a problem showing basic consideration for fellow human beings..that is pretty sad.

 

It,s also sad that some martial artists lack humility and therefore find it hard to show respect to their instructors and seniors.

 

If someone has dishonored you then you should not be required to respect them, but you should at least have the self control to treat them with courtesy.

 

These are qualities that are not innately inherent, nor easy to consistently apply, but to me, they are important.

 

 

[ckdstudent]

First tenet of Choi Kwang Do, and I believe of Tae Kwon Do as well, is courtesy. This generally translates as being polite to everyone, and offering them respect regardless of rank or ability so long as they try. In a class we've had the situation several times where seniors treat juniors as inferior, something which we tend to clamp down on severely. After all, they're not offering respect to their juniors so why should we offer it to them?

 

 

[KickChick]

I would like to further explain my post .... well, it may have come off a bit "smug" ... what I was getting at is -- Respect naturally comes to someone for who they are. I wouldn't respect someone with poor behavioral habits or someone who is unethical (that goes for whether they wear a belt or not!) As far as lower ranks go-- yes, you call that "courtesy" .... it is your responsibility as a black belt to overextend of yourself to others in your class in order to nurture them along their path of learning.

 

So yes I respect a higher belt rank (as long as they aren't self propagating), I respect those older than I (especially in MA ... whether beginner or not)

 

 

[karatekid1975]

Good post, Kickchick I agree

 

 

[Bitseach]

LOL@Kickchick's first reply!

 

I used to agree that respect ought to be automatic to senior grades - having been in the MA for a lot of years now, and having been millitary trained myself, where a rigid rank system was the norm.

 

I'm a bit jaded now, though, by the poor example set by many of the seniors in my (now former) club. (The full story can be read at http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=2195&forum=2 should anyone be interested!)

 

I have also had the situation whereby someone has overtaken me in rank at a grading that I was unable to attend due to voluntary work commitments (!) and immediately became hugely patronising towards me as he was now my senior in rank!! Suddenly he would not allow me to show him kata that I knew and he didn't, even when instructed to do so by the Sensei, and he couldn't cope with my getting through his guard any more when we were sparring. (It was REALLY bizarre!)

 

I've also seen quite a few Dan grades who can barely manage a nod at a lower grade, much less to bow properly and respectfully during training with that person. (some of the club members a few Dans higher had to have a word over that one too!) Personally I bow the same towards white belts as blacks as one should always respect the training partner/enemy but it seems this is not universal!

 

Perhaps I expect too much of black belts because I've met some REALLY good ones early on who showed me how it should be done, but I am coming increasingly to the position that it can no longer be automatic without their showing some decency and strength of character to boot.

[TigerKorea]

you should respect my ANT!! becoz he is in black belt!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

 

[ This Message was edited by: TigerKorea on 2002-05-17 23:21 ]