From: jswartz@mbunix.mitre.org (Swartz)
Subject: Re: Fights and blackbelt confidence
Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 14:36:58 GMT

In article <1993Jan25.114346.22014@cbfsb.cb.att.com> ddewar@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (derek.a.dewar) writes:
>In article <C19zr4.4xA@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> shulick@navajo.ucs.indiana.edu (Sam Hulick) writes:
>>
>>Needless to say, I have this >little "things to do when I'm a blackbelt" 
>>list, and Dork is on it. :)
>
>Nah, this is wrong. It's a very dangerous attitude to take. If and when you
>obtain your dan grade, I hope you won't have the same attitude.
>
>>after I had gone through years of training and had become a blackbelt,
>>I'd feel pretty good about myself and sure as hell wouldn't hesitate to
>>talk back to someone who was giving me a hard time.  Now I'm just a
>>white belt, and when someone starts hassling me, I remain unobtrusive
>>and just take it, 
>
>Your attitude about being "unobtrusive" is one you should maintain through
>out your training. I think you're pre-occupied with belts and their colour.
>You're also underestimating violence. THis isn't some sort of game, as 
>portrayed by the movies. Fights are real, and people always get hurt, not to
>mention legalities involved, and possible prosecution, and conviction.
>
>>As our instructor said, avoid a fight at all costs, but if
>>you have to fight, do what you must.  
>
>I would listen to your instructor more. He's not saying "if anyone calls you
>names, then kick their arse..." He's saying if you are in REAL danger, and
>there is no other way, then that is the time to fight. No offense here, but
>until you get rid of your ego problem you won't think any differently. 
>People calling you names don't really hurt you, do they ? They just do that 
>to make themselves feel better...and as for "dork", well, leave him be. One
>day he'll pick on someone who'll give him a bloody good doing, and he'll 
>maybe change his attitude then. Right now, he doesn't really know what 
>violence is..
>
>Keep training, keep unobtrusive, and keep smart. You know it makes sense.
>
>

This is an interesting thread.  I wonder how many of us had similar attitudes
when we were white belts . . .  I mean, most of us probably don't start the
martial arts so that we can trash people we don't like, but how many of us,
after training for a few days/weeks/months thought, "Hey, someday I'm gonna
be able to kick that jerk's ass."  With most serious students in the martial
arts, that feeling passes away as we progress.

As far as "confidence" goes, my self-confidence went way up long before I
reached my black belt.  After training only a few months, I felt much more
confident in myself and my ability to handle an adverse situation.  Note that
I am not saying that I felt I could trash anyone I wanted, or that if someone
wielding a knife approached me that I would necessarily be able to trash
him -- and THAT feeling doesn't come at black belt either.  I've found that
one of the things I learn the further I go up the ranks is how much MORE there
is to learn.  Therefore, these feelings of invincibility tend pass the more
you train.   BUT -- the training that you receive along the way (like, at 
your next workout) is another step along the way to greater self-confidence.
Again, self-confidence and feelings of invincibility are two differnt things.
 
So, I think we should be too hard on this white belt for wanting to trash a
"Dork" -- I think many (most?) of us have had similar feelings, and learning
to change one's thinking is but another lesson along the path.  Sorry if I
sounded like Mr. Miyagi there for a second.

Boot to the head,

John


-- 
|||  JOHN A. SWARTZ -- The MITRE Corporation -- Bedford, Massachusetts  |||
||| "The bank called me up and told me I'm overdrawn.  Some freaks are  |||
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