Different breed of people ?

[Bon]

I think I heard someone on this forum say before that martial artists are a different breed of people. Who agrees ? I don't mean to imply that martial artists are better than people who don't do martial arts, but, generally martial artists always seem to want to help people which is what sets them apart from other people.

 

I notice at school, the people I am 'friends' with and co-students especially are competing with me in math and physics, the subjects I believe we should be helping each other with the most in. The marks we get from our final exams depend on how well our school does as a whole, so I still can't understand why people try to be so detrimental of others' study and motivation to study and lie about the study they do. There's one girl who's a math goddess and me and a friend asked for help with simple integration, her reply was 'you can't ask the teacher?', she then unwillingly wrote out the solution.

 

I go to the dojo, where I'm surrounded with people who want to grow and help people grow, then I go to school where people are trying to stop people from growing, while they grow. I now find myself not socialising with people from school because I don't like to be surrounded by negative energy.

[shotochem]

I agree, there seem to be a lot of nice people I train with. As for a different breed.....

 

think about it. It takes a bunch of crazy people to do what we do. There are many other activities that do not produce the bumps, bruises and broken bones that we experience. The most common thing I have noticed about the MA I train with is that they tend to be more motivated and determined than the average person. We constantly push ourselves to new limits and keep setting higher goals, this to me is what it is all about.

[SBN Doug]

People that take, and stick with, the martial arts may have similarities as you mention. However, I think everyone can learn some of the traits you speak of if they too were to study MAs for a while.

 

Remember, you're dealing with a wide variety of maturity levels when you're still in school. Some people, even the ones with lower grades, are completely comfortable and confident in themselves, and will not be threatened by the success of others. While some, even the most popular and making the highest grades, are not confident in themselves yet. These are the ones that will feel threatened if they think somone is gaining on them, since that is how they "stand out" in your current mico-society.

 

It's my belief that the martial arts can teach the kind of confidence and self worth that will allow people to see that the success of others does not hinder your own personal growth and success.

 

Few, I think that's the longest note I've written since being here.

[ZeRo]

i agree we are something different because we all try and help each other out when training. school is different though, not a good thing. i think its coz we all have a common interest and the good feeling of when they get it right and youve helped them out.

[diamondick]

I think it is different yes.

 

In school people look at you as a competitor,you could be stepping on their job in the future.

 

In Martial arts is more getting together to learn and the spirit is to help each other and learn from each other.

[LeaF]

i do not think we are really different. You can't really compare a dojo to a class room. Whether we like to think so or not at school we arre always at competion with our peers, to get the best marks so we can get into the best school. Does this mean that we cannot help others out certainly not, but we may be more reluctant on how much information we spill. In the dojo there should be no competion. Everyone is to train themselves and should not be too concerned with whether others are doing better or worse then yourself.

 

I do not think we as a whole are any different then others, althought I believe many of us like to think we are. Anyone can learn to be friendly or helpful and they do not need to take the martial arts. The martial arts are not the only way to learn these traits. There are many clubs of people who hold simular characteristic traits. Let us also not forget that people act differently in different environments. I know I act different in the dojo than I do at home or at school

[DeeLovesKarate]

I very much agree. If I ask someone at my school to help me with something, they'll either ignore me, tell me no, or get very frustrated with me. At karate, if I ask someone to help me with something, they'll take it onto themselves to help me. They almost seem like their success rides on mine. They will stop whatever their doing to help me. I have come to use that courtesy on everyone that needs my help, and it disappoints me when people just want the quick answer, when it's much better for them to understand it and not have to be co-dependant on me. The teachers don't help much by telling us not to help each other in class, but they don't know that most of the kids feel uncomfortable asking a teacher, when they can ask a peer. I believe that respect and manners are contagious. There always seems to be alot of that at a dojo. Without the teachers having to force them, kids help each other, and enjoy it. That is one aspect of the Way that I could never really explain to a non-warrior, but just to you guys, because you experiance it first hand.

 

Don't you feel proud?

 

Grrr,

 

Dee

[BlueDragon1981]

I agree with it mostly. There are MA out there who give us all a bad name. On the other hand the ones who help people all the time and are role models rarely get any recognition. That is fine with me. I like to help people and dont need anything but respect of that person for it. You never know where the people you help are going to go in the future.

 

From my experiences MA tend to be more active and creative than a lot of people. I also see MA having better leadership skills. Nothing against people who arent in the MA but I think MA creates a very good opportunity to better yourself.

[Red J]

I think the big difference is that in the dojo everyone chooses to be there. This choice is built around a strong common interest. The bond is made through similarites in attitudes and lifestyles.

 

In school people attend for many reasons, one is that education is compulsory. With so many people coming for so many reasons, I can understand why you feel this way.

 

When you get out of school and into ventures that are made by choice, I think that you will make stronger connections. The most important thing is to have an open mind so that you attract these people through your thoughts and actions.

 

Life is a journey.

[ramymensa]

Guess we are a different breed

 

Everybody else thinks we are either crazy either super humans, just because they say it'a a great effort and they don't feel like doing it. For a girl. things are even stranger

 

I think we ate slightly different. Since doing karate I'm more confident and believe me I was confident enough before, ... now I boost confidence. I'm calm ... Dangerously calm Happy because I do something I really like, full of energy and even generous.

 

karate or MA for everybody ... can do a lot of improvements in a person