by Genghis » Tue Feb 19, 2013 7:06 pm | #7
But a symbol is a symbol, and we invest things into it.
I have a couple of degrees, which I worked my balls off for, and so I tend to get upset about "degree mills" that sell apparently equivalent qualifications for "life experience".
I have a black belt, I'm very proud of it, I went through a lot over a lot of years to earn it. I had to show a lot of dedication and hard work to get to that point, not to mention the pain of a grading run by KK! So yes, I do regard it as important, and that handing it over to somebody who seems highly unlikely to have shown the understanding and dedication that I did.
Put it another way, can that 6 year old "dan grade" take a class, explain the reasons for all their techniques, or learn and develop their own way of doing things independently?
Sorry, but symbols and titles do matter both to those who hold them, and those who don't and standards in awards of symbols and titles therefore matter as much.
G
Wrestle well, skillfully wield spear, sword, and dagger in a manly way. Strike true and hard and rush in - those who understand this will despise the one who defends. (Sigmund Ringeck, C15)
http://www.buckskempo.org.uk/