When I Take Off My Belt!

[RichardZ]

I think choosing not to wear a belt doesn't make someone better or wiser than someone who chooses to wear a belt, or vice-versa. It's a fairly small thing, and anyone who chooses to turn their wearing or not wearing of a belt into a STATEMENT is missing the point really. Which is not to say that anyone shouldn't be proud of their achieved grade, not at all. But its hard work that gets the grade, not the cotton wrapped round it.

Grand post. Though often i wonder, if it wasnt for the grade=rank, would people actually put orth the hard work?

I once spoke to a Buddhist monk about something simular to this.

[mr_obvious]

Just another perspective to consider, for what it's worth.....

Some people don't need any more incentive than self-improvement. Admittedly, I operate under an off-nominal paradigm. 1) I have nothing to prove. 2) I have enough personal stressors in my life, that worrying about rank, promotions, testing, etc just aren't on the radar.

I train hard and strive to learn -- because I want to. Whatever color cloth Sensei wants me to wear around my waist is more for his convenience, not mine. Case-in-point, some of the advanced belts who pop into class sporadically, were perhaps at one point highly competent....but here in the "now" haven't maintained. It doesn't make them any less of a Dan rank, it just goes to show -- rank isn't always indicative of capability.

[bushido_man96]

If people are willing to work hard in other physical endeavours that do not use ranks, then why not the Martial Arts? It is just another physical activity, only you are learning to fight/defend yourself.

[/quote=Blade96]

when i was still in the kenpo school, one of the blue belts told me he throws his belts in the closet and I'm like What? You take what you got for your work and dedication and throw it in the closet? and he's like 'well....don't tell sensei' and I'm like thinking, Yeah. I'm not sure people always know what exactly the belts could mean and represent.

I throw dirty clothes on the floor all the time at home. The belt is just another piece of laundry in my wardrobe. It only gets worn a few times a week, though.

Interesting. So if we are to throw them around like dirty clothes, why bother to wear them?

If one thinks its a "bother" to wear it, then don't. But, it does do a nice job of holding the uniform together.

[WireFrame]

I think choosing not to wear a belt doesn't make someone better or wiser than someone who chooses to wear a belt, or vice-versa. It's a fairly small thing, and anyone who chooses to turn their wearing or not wearing of a belt into a STATEMENT is missing the point really. Which is not to say that anyone shouldn't be proud of their achieved grade, not at all. But its hard work that gets the grade, not the cotton wrapped round it.

Grand post. Though often i wonder, if it wasnt for the grade=rank, would people actually put orth the hard work?

I once spoke to a Buddhist monk about something simular to this.

I think most people respond well to having achievable short-term targets, which is what the coloured belt system serves as.

[RichardZ]

Look at the outcone of life's achievements. High school diploma, college degree, position in society, are goals, yet these do not seem to be "short-term"

[WireFrame]

You don't think so?

High school > Degree > Entry Level Jobs > Professional/Dream Job > Futher progression

You wouldn't equate that with White > Kyu Grades > Dan Grades at all?

Long term and short term in one endeavour needn't mean the same timeframe as in another.

[DWx]

You don't think so?

High school > Degree > Entry Level Jobs > Professional/Dream Job > Futher progression

You could break them up even further if you wanted. You have to do exams for high school & degree so each yearly or termly exam equates to a grading?

[bushido_man96]

Look at the outcone of life's achievements. High school diploma, college degree, position in society, are goals, yet these do not seem to be "short-term"

But look at the school years. K through 12. Those are short-term in comparison to the whole.

[RichardZ]

Look at the outcone of life's achievements. High school diploma, college degree, position in society, are goals, yet these do not seem to be "short-term"

But look at the school years. K through 12. Those are short-term in comparison to the whole.

K-12 are a lot of years that are not short term to the ending goal before one s relaesed from standard academics.

[bushido_man96]

Each individual year can be viewed as a short-term goal. That was the point I was trying to make.