Quote:
|
Originally posted by MaylandL
|
Hi Mayland! How's that tea coming?
It seems that the courts require a higher duty of care for people who have trained in martial arts and have graded to a Dan Grade.
So much of what we find is a result of the popular media, supported by folks who WANT a black belt to mean something. This is yet one more reason I eschew the kyu-dan grading system.
People outside the MA community (and WAY too many indise it for that matter) want to hang some pretty heavy crap on that simple strip of black cloth.
They don't realize that there is NO standardization (sometimes even within organizational entities), there's no universal tardstick of expertise.
And they want it to BE special ...
I guess my question to people is what does a Dan grade actually mean? Is it a recognition of skill by your Sensei or is it a recognition of something more and deeper commitment to a way and philosophy of life?
To me, a yudansha should have at least mastered the basics of his or her style. That implies no expertise, only a grasp. It's a badge awarded for time served and tickets punched.
It's the mark of a serious beginner ...
And on that topic, I also think many western dojo and organizations WAY over-inflate requirements for dan grades. This practice has led to much of the misconceptions about what rank ought to mean.
Chuck