Back Belt Pride or showing off?

[lklawson]

This is what sets TMA apart from simply "fighting."

Except for when it isn't.

Character is, and historically was, not only related, but an essential quality.

Sometimes. Sometimes not.

Students were originally handpicked, not for their capacity for brutality, but for their worthiness in character, dedication and judgement in applying the skills they learned. These were the prerequisites for being accepted as a student in this "secret" art. As karate evolved from jutsu to do and became more public, these qualities became more of the goal.

Except when they weren't and when it wasn't.

While TMA was certainly centered around fighting, and should still be IMO, its practice is not only used for fighting, but as a vehicle to concurrently develop oneself as a person. These two sides are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they reinforce each other.

That's certainly how many modern people practice it and for those reasons.

Chimpanzees are fierce fighters - they beat, kick, claw, bite and rend limbs. An angry 100 lb chimp can destroy any human fighter. Would you call them martial artists?

Maybe. Do they have a training regiment and sometimes instructors? Do they have training goals and ways to meet and validate those goals?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Fighters and martial artists are not one and the same. Not all fighters are martial artists, and not all martial artists are fighters.

Check a dictionary. Turns out that they are, in fact, one and the same.

 

[lklawson]

MA-based tattoos are not the same as a tattoo that actively represents what rank you are.

Sez you.

 

[mograph]

Neither is an issue. Because both are entirely up to the wearer.

How you see martial arts has little or nothing to do with how someone else sees them. If the tattoo fits their vision, then that's all that matters.

By "issue," I meant to attempt to tease out what people are actually arguing about: not the tattoo, but the intent.

But I see I was wasting my time.

 

[Dirty Dog]

By "issue," I meant to attempt to tease out what people are actually arguing about: not the tattoo, but the intent.

Right. But, the thing is, the intent doesn't matter.

 

[lklawson]

Right. But, the thing is, the intent doesn't matter.

Or perhaps, "why is it anyone's business?"

Peace favor your sword (mobile)

 

[Dirty Dog]

Or perhaps, "why is it anyone's business?"

Exactly. Way back on page one, I said

Personally, I couldn't care less what people tattoo on themselves. Why would I? It's their body.

It's such a simple thing.