Politics Free!?

[sensei8]

From time to time, one can read promises from well meant governing bodies. Usually, they will write something like this...

Our XYZ Association was formed from the desire to eliminate the politics from martial arts, therefore the association's politics are, that we have no politics!

It's, imho, a nice attempt to speak in these non-alarming tones. Tones that cause one to drop their sensible guards. However, when one supposes that the association that they're apart of is politic free, they're setting themselves up for a rude awakening.

Let's look at the italicized phrase above. Some key words pop.

"Desire" isn't a guarantee of separation from a wanted factor. I can want to desire something wholeheartedly, but that doesn't mean that it will be a consistent aspiration of self. Actions require them to be fruitful! Actions speak louder than words, and in that, words with no actions are empty.

"Eliminate" is a act of totality. The "desired" act to "eliminate" any said action(s) requires placing safeguards in motion that will guarantee its success to do just that: Eliminate! If there's even the slightest provocation to do what one's seeking to eliminate, but just the mere notion alone isn't enough, then that which one seeks to eliminate, is indeed, not eliminated.

Another phrase is profound, but empty. That is this..."the association's politics are, that we have no politics!" It's interesting. Whom decides that? If there's any type of chain of command, then that means that there's one at the ultimate top of said chain of command. If there's a individual that's at the top of the chain of command, then there must be a link from the top to the most bottom of said chain of command.

I've never meet a structured association that's self sufficient! I suspect that said association is the governing body, therefore, others follow said governing body; someone is in charge. Meetings are conducted for whatever reason(s) they might or might not be; the entity must survive, somehow and someway.

This is the core of the politics. When people are involved, disagreements must happen from time to time, hence the beginning of politics, therefore, hence the birth of an hierarchy.

An association must have some type of rules and regulations to govern the few and/or the many.

There's the politics, and if there is even the slightest amount of politics, then said association/governing body isn't free of politics. As noble as it might appear to be, for how long it might last, politics are waiting to rear up its ugly head to be shown that there's a governing body, hence someone is in charge, if even for now.

Whom decides said syllabus? Whom decides rank structure, if one exists? Whom decides the By-Laws? Whom promotes? Just whom decides? How are the actions of others decide with said association?

Politics free is a noble notion, but I doubt it'll last and/or endure for long! Aren't MA politics just a sense of entitlement?

Imho!!

Your thoughts, please!!

[Safroot]

as long as human being is there in MA .... politics will be there as well

C'est la vie

[Zaine]

Politics free is a noble notion, but I doubt it'll last and/or endure for long! Aren't MA politics just a sense of entitlement?

I think that you hit the nail on the head here. There will always be some political structure in any organization, regardless of how small or large. I think that this goes double for MA! Look at us! Regardless of how independently we start our schools, there is almost always some nod to the authority of those who trained us and it comes up in this forum all of the time. Sensei8, you refer to your soke and dai-soke as someone of authority who you listen to within your organization. Others, such as my teacher (at least in the beginning) followed the rules of his teacher, who in turn followed what the our GM said. Even those of us who don't agree and end up breaking away from the system proper follow some political structure with us at its head. We have officers of our policies, others who help us enforce our rules and so on. No politics in MA I think goes against our want for a disciplined life as well. It is our political considerations that help us run a formatted and helpful class. It gives us structure enough to know what is required of each rank and what is expected of them if they are to progress. Our politics are an extension of who we are as a Martial Artists. Those of us who lead (or at least try their very best to) a disciplined life need that structure to show the importance of discipline to our students.

So I think that politics in MA will always be necessary, regardless of how much they may infuriate us.

[snowturtle]

Sensei8,

I enjoyed reading your post and it lead me to this question, why are politics viewed as negative? A lot of positive change can come from political discourse.

I'm just trying to play a bit of the devil's advocate here

[sensei8]

Politics are only deemed negative when they get in the way of training. Politics are needed because they govern the checks and balances within said governing body. For a governing body to say that no politics exist at all, is not being honest with themselves, and their student body.

I'd say for the most part, our positive politics greatly outweigh our negative politics. So, when I speak about politics in a negative tone, it's because it's distracting away from the training/teaching that's paramount to ones MA betterment.

Change is inevitable, and politics, good or bad, are at the root of change, imho.

[lowereastside]

Look - it is what it is - Human nature and all that......... How many times have you heard " Why can't we get along " Why? because we're Human Being's - that's WHY! Look - I try to stay out of the Politics - And in the last couple of years I've gotten better - refraining from making negative statements about other styles of MA and other Instructor's and Organizations - But my DNA will not permit me to fully refrain from making my comments to my students and close friends concerning the above ( I'm So Ashamed - LOL ) The only thing we can do is try to be better Human Being's - but we've not PERFECT. Again my 3 cents.