From: das@unislc.uucp (David Shorten)
Subject: Re: Badass Karate (-Do?) -- note: lengthy post
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Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:40:33 GMT

Damien Kixk (kickda@studsys.mscs.mu.edu) wrote:
: 
:        I feel that the commercialization of the martial arts
:   is grevious crime to the very martial spirit which was
:   once the backbone of "the arts".  My reasons for feeling
:   this way are uniquely mine -- since this is, by nature,
:   very much of an opinion kind of a thing.  I feel that the
:   capitalization of humankinds' skills, to turn what it is
:   that a person can do into a commodity, is to fundamentally
:   alienate humanity from itself.  Humankind becomes part of
:   the very mechanism of capital which humankind itself created
:   and the creator ends up serving its creation ...  This is
:   a quasi-poetic attempt at voicing a bit of a neo-marxist
:   view on the nature of captialism.  But not to stray to far
:   afeild -- yes, I think that going commercial is a sell out.
: 
:        No wonder the old masters were reluctant to teach their
:   art to outsiders ...
: 
:        And here comes a completely modern twist ...  Don't
:   sell out!  Keep ma underground and keep it punk!  Check out
:   the martial art history of Okinaowa ... strong tradtion of
:   underground rebellion against an oppressive society.  
:   Strong tradition of self-reliance.  What about ... Capoerica?
:   ... that martial art that came from African slaves learning
:   to fight while in shackles.  What about ninjitsu?  Could
:   one possibly get any more radical than that?
: 
:        ... I feel that no true art should be made commercial.
:   Keep it underground ... keep it "punk".
: 
:        So, there are a "few" of my reasons for feeling
:   that the martial arts should be more than a mere sport.
:   A comercial enterprise.  Like the NFL or something.  I am
:   of the rather sad opinion, however, that the martial arts
:   have become a weak shadow of what they once were -- 
:   especially in the usa where there never was much of a tradition
:   to stand on and seeing as how we are pretty much the world
:   wide icon of commercialization.  Go Pepsi.  I mean, Tak Kwon
:   Doe in the olympics?  Judo has long ago surrendered ...
:   The goal of the founder of the Kodokan has succeeded, yes,
:   Ju has not "died".  It has been transformed so much that
:   it is no longer recognizable as resembling what it once 
:   was.  (Could someone still truely call the Catholic church
:   Catholic if it lost the believe in the pope?  When some-
:   thing of fundametal importance -- essentially definitve --
:   has changed can that thing still be called what it once
:   was?)
: 
:        Which I think brings up the question of -- How can
:   we truely speak of there being a martial art if not in
:   the presence of a martial society?  Hypothetically: The
:   only county which could truely speak of having a martial
:   art would be a war torn country ... and who would want
:   that?  How can there be martial arts where there is peace?
:   Or at least, how can you truely speak of a martial art
:   unless there is fighting of some sort which is a common
:   factor in you're life.  Not just the potentiality but
:   rather the actuality ...  To talk of such a thing, would
:   it not be a bit pretentious?  Would this not make for a
:   "pack of suburban commandos?"  ... Any comments on this?
:   please?
: 
: -- 
: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: |                "hell is other people" - Jean Paul Sarte                   |
: |                                mail sent by: Damien Kixk    :-(           |
: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------


I'll bet many in the newsgroup would love to find a master
that would take them in and thoroughly teach them an art.
However, the number of masters willing to do this is far
fewer than the number of students wanting such instruction.
Also those who are truly skilled can make a much more
comfortable life for their families if they go "commercial"
and offer to teach their skills for a fee to as many students
as they can handle.  There is a benefit to the rest of us
when they do that: they can reach many more students that
way, thus making their skill available to more of us wanting
to learn.  I admit it's not the best way to learn an art,
and it certainly lends itself to abuse by shysters, but
it gives the most people a chance to explore the martial arts.

As to the question of the traditional "martial arts" being truly 
martial, I would have to agree with you.  Some were developed
in response to a warlike situation but are now divorced from
that environment, and no longer address the issues of modern
warfare (conventional or urban).  I think to be truly martial
an art would have to address the issues of modern urban or
guerrilla warfare.  This would have to take into account the
legality and concealability of weapons, as well as guns for
when you are in relatively "lawless" neighbourhoods.  Certainly
small-group tactics would be essential for the possibility of
being set upon by a gang.  

There is also the point of view, that because an art was developed
as a practical combat art it is always a martial art, even if the 
environment which made it practical disappears.  This is an 
equally valid point of view in my mind, and just depends on your
definition of terms.

Dave S.
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts