We all know a wild adolescent, impetuous, fun, lively, crazy and willing to try anything. We also worry that he just may not survive the next wild thing they try. We try to guide him with our traditions but his world is a new place so we also try to allow him the freedom to create the best answer to his life's new problems. The martial arts can be seen to be in an adolescent stage in North America. Our penchant for freedom has created problems for the old masters who know the value of 'kite flying,' but it has also brought a creative atmosphere to many systems.
Growth means change, life means change.
The Japanese samurai are the epitome of the traditionalist spirit but in their last great effort to regain control of Japan called the Satsuma rebellion, their swords were defeated by a smaller number of peasants armed with guns. Not at all. No person acts only like a kite or a bird, sometimes we trust tradition and a conservative approach to see us through, and sometimes we are creative and break free of tradition because the rules don't apply any more. So let us not scorn others of different traditions or new ideas. Let us also not rush into mine fields with no thought or study of the problems.