When did politics enter the martial arts?

[singularity6]

Woah, here we go. Bear with me, I have a lot of thoughts and I'll try to form them in a concise and constructive way:

We live in complicated times. The social media platforms have allowed us to surround ourselves with like-minded individuals, and in a way, filter out those who don't agree as much. The internet in general has given us a "safe" place to air our grievances without direct contact with others. It has gotten to the point to where it seems that "everyone" is the "drunk uncle" at Thanksgiving dinner - those who agree are called friends, and those who don't are the enemy. We are dividing ourselves.

My political beliefs do not line up with my instructors, nor do they line up with a fair number of my classmates. They are still great people, and we still get along very well. Why? Well, those discussions do not belong on the floor (we're smarter about it... we wait until we're drinking at a bar to have those discussions )

Now, I teach math at a college. Historically, I used to allow my students to occasionally discuss things that weren't related to class, so long as it wasn't disrupting the learning that had to be done (I've always tried to respectfully bowed of these, as I don't want any of my students to feel uncomfortable.) After all, it's college, and differing opinions should be celebrated, not shunned! Things have changed enough now to where I no longer allow these discussions in the classroom, as the discussions get too heated too quickly.

Something I think we should all be mindful of are our guiding principles we take for our martial art. In Taekwondo, we have our

Oath:

1 Observe the tenets of Taekwondo.

2 Respect instructors and seniors.

3 Never misuse Taekwondo.

4 Be a champion of freedom and justice.

5 Help to build a more peaceful world.

Tenants:

1 Courtesy

2 Integrity

3 Perseverance

4 Self-control

5 Indomitable spirit

I know other styles have similar guiding principles. These principles (for whichever style you practice) should always be observed - on and off the floor! Now... this has got me thinking... Most religions have a lot of teachings about being humble and respectful. And what about in the workplace? How many of us work for a company that has a mission statement, or "cultural beliefs"? I'll bet integrity and respect are mentioned in some way shape or form! Folks in law enforcement and medicine are required to take an oath upon entering their fields. By being part of a religious group, working for a company, or being a law enforcement officer/medical practitioner, we are agreeing to these ideas, to these beliefs. Maybe we should start living these ideas and beliefs!

That pretty much says it all. Treat other with the same respect you expect them to give you.

I'm just wondering when it became so bad to have different idea's? Didn't we use to celebrate this?

To the bold:

It seems like different ideas have always been frowned upon (in general, by the masses.) Things like major world events and major social changes always tend to polarize people. These polarizations have been exacerbated by our ability to communicate with the masses, while surrounding ourselves with too many like-minded individuals. The world is experiencing a lot of change, and at a very fast rate. I think most of the bad stuff we're seeing is mostly due to fear and a natural resistance to change.

If one want to keep growing as a person, one must always seek discomfort (if it doesn't hurt, you're not learning!)