interesting read for gung fu people

OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
Indeed..i knew my distrust of technology was justified

Moderation i have learned is very important.
 

Xue Sheng

All weight is underside
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
34,275
Reaction score
9,388
Location
North American Tectonic Plate
This was happening before the iPhone. Beijing 4 years ago this was already a problem. Many young people did not want to take the time to train and/or could not afford to based on the possibility of injury. Chalk it up to westernization before technology. There were a lot of styles of Bagua on the way out then since there were no students for the guys that wanted to teach. Some of that was due to westernization and some was due to traditionalism. The students did not have the time to learn and the sifu only wanted to teach those who were dedicated.

sad, but true

My taiji sifu, from China teaching in the US, said pretty much the same thing about students here. No one really wants to learn anymore, they all want to learn a few forms, call themselves masters and go off and teach.
 
OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
I hear you

Although i read this article without focusing on the geography,boarders are manmade. Just as i considered the iphone to be the same as
Television,xbox, computers of all kinds.

To me the problem is this generation we live in are increasingly lazy. Noone needs to study when they can at a click of a button find an overload of stimulation and "information"...
I think that its too common to be a jack of all and a master of nothing.
What we gung fu people refer to as chop suey....Why learn anything when youcan google "buzz words" and pretend to have insight into everything.

This is why moderation is so important. Not just for martial arts but for all things.
I dont know what the future will bring, but i think maybe it is not in our favor.
 
Last edited:
OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
Yes i use technology. But i dont have internet in my home. I currently have to travel 20 min to gain access to oa computer.

Perhaps someday i will plug in, but for now im pretty content with my old school methods.
Im sure im not alone.
 

Xue Sheng

All weight is underside
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
34,275
Reaction score
9,388
Location
North American Tectonic Plate
I hear you

Although i read this article without focusing on the geography,boarders are manmade. Just as i considered the iphone to be the same as
Television,xbox, computers of all kinds.

To me the problem is this generation we live in are increasingly lazy. Noone needs to study when they can at a click of a button find an overload of stimulation and "information"...
I think that its too common to be a jack of all and a master of nothing.
What we gung fu people refer to as chop suey....Why learn anything when youcan google "buzz words" and pretend to have insight into everything.

This is why moderation is so important. Not just for martial arts but for all things.
I dont know what the future will bring, but i think maybe it is not in our favor.

To some extent I agree but you also have to take into account that people are just plane busy and some of those can't afford to get hurt and lose time at their job.

I have been in MA for years (CMA for 20) and injured multiple times but I'm, as my wife and her family call me, martial arts crazy (except they say it in Chinese :D) so I have gone to work injured a lot of times and luckily it does not get in the way to much (OK it did when I broke my ankle). I am also a PC tech\Security guy and I wear a few other techno hats as well. Technology is my job and I do have a PC at home, kind of hard not too these days, the kids need it for school and my wife uses it for her business and to watch CCTV but I will admit I am not a big fan of technology in many areas and I am not at all happy where, in some places, it is taking us. Heck, I still insist on reading real live books.... not online or kindle
 

SacredCoconut

Orange Belt
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
Messages
65
Reaction score
1
Location
Finland
Meaby not big reason, but i'd assume that having less strict households, makes younger people stay awey from traditional arts.
 

Xue Sheng

All weight is underside
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
34,275
Reaction score
9,388
Location
North American Tectonic Plate
Meaby not big reason, but i'd assume that having less strict households, makes younger people stay awey from traditional arts.

Chinese households in China are still pretty strict they just are more focused on things like math, science or things that will be, what they feel, are in the best interests of thier childern and TCMA, in most cases, just do not seem to be what they feel is in the childs best interest
 

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
I hear you

Although i read this article without focusing on the geography,boarders are manmade. Just as i considered the iphone to be the same as
Television,xbox, computers of all kinds.

To me the problem is this generation we live in are increasingly lazy. Noone needs to study when they can at a click of a button find an overload of stimulation and "information"...
I think that its too common to be a jack of all and a master of nothing.
What we gung fu people refer to as chop suey....Why learn anything when youcan google "buzz words" and pretend to have insight into everything.

This is why moderation is so important. Not just for martial arts but for all things.
I dont know what the future will bring, but i think maybe it is not in our favor.

Every generation says that, and every generation is wrong. Lazy people are lazy whatever their age, there's plenty of young people who are as dedicated and hard working as their forebears were. Slagging of young people isn't going to encourage them to try your martial arts, it just sounds like grumpy oldmanism.

As for technology, Kindle/paper books or both, it doesn't matter it's the WORDS that are important. Read them off an old fish and chip paper or a state of the art computer it really doesn't matter it's what the words say that does. Books are still books on the Kindle, the thrill of being able to carry a library around me is wonderful. I have thousands of paper books at home but with my Kindle I have all my favourites and more right with me, to me to be without a book or two (or three) is hell, Kindle solves that for me. It's glorious to have Pratchett, Dickens, Austen, Shakespeare, Le Carre and everything I want to read with me all the time. Plus it doesn't hurt my eyes reading under flourescent lights.
 
OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
Grumpy oldmanism? Dude im 32. Im not old. I am aware that mankinkind especially cityfolk have lost an important connection with life. This trend also is found in gung fu. The reality is you cant go anywhere without seeing kids with eyes stuck to a computer. Just as most adults are addicted to it as well.
Im not one to cater to delicate sensativities. So ya i say LAZY.

As for kindle...why would anyone want their library to be stored in a electronic box that could be destroyed with a single magnet. A spilled glass of water etc.
It makes no sense.

Its not said by every generation. This is the first generstion with this situation
 
Last edited:

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
Grumpy oldmanism? Dude im 32. Im not old. I am aware that mankinkind especially cityfolk have lost an important connection with life. This trend also is found in gung fu. The reality is you cant go anywhere without seeing kids with eyes stuck to a computer. Just as most adults are addicted to it as well.
Im not one to cater to delicate sensativities. So ya i say LAZY.

As for kindle...why would anyone want their library to be stored in a electronic box that could be destroyed with a single magnet. A spilled glass of water etc.
It makes no sense.

Its not said by every generation. This is the first generstion with this situation

Yep definitely Bah Humbug.

My library isn't stored in a Kindle, I have a perfectly good collection of thousands of books but why not have some to take around with you? As I said it's the words that are important not the means of carrying them. To pooh pooh Kindles is just snobbery.

As for young people, in this country you will see kids on their computers but you will see the same kids in Scouts and Guides, Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, Air Training Corps, Army and Sea Cadets, St Johns Ambulance, they go to dance schools doing everything from ballet to street dance, they do gymnastics, play football, rugby, hockey,cricket, netball, basketball, volleyball, badminton, tennis. you see them streaming into the sports centres at weekends and evenings. Swimming clubs have waiting lists, there's canoeing, climbing as well as My daughter coaches Cheer and recently at a comp there were over 1500 competitors and that's just in the North of England never mind the rest of the UK. The country's youth are far from inactive. You can't get into the sports and leisure centres here during the schools hols for damn kids doing sport and other physical stuff. Most martial arts places that take kids have plenty.
Perhaps the kids around your way are different but while they like their computers etc they are still working hard. Oh and don't forget all the teenagers and young people that are serving in Afghanistan and other places, they work damn hard and yes they like their computers too.
 
OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
Wow call me a snob for having an observation. Solid.
And Ya in afganistan playing video games and computer programs(drone strike death from above) im not interested in your attempt to personalize this article to make your argument valid. You have taken a simple article and turned it into defensive rant n. It was not at anypoint about school sponored SPORTS it is an article about TRADITIONAL. arts for self protection.
I could get into the homophobic issues of scouts and all that but its a waist of energy.
 
Last edited:

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
Ya playing video games in afganistan playing video games(drone strike death from above) im not interested in your attempt to personalize this article to make your argument valid. You have taken a simple article and turned it into a political rant. Not what im interested in.

What's political in me reminding that making generalisations about young people is always a mistake not to say unkind? You are slagging young people off, I'm defending them.

For your information one of my martial arts students aged just 20 was killed in Afghan 18 months ago.Two years before that another one of my students aged 21 was killed there as well. At the moment most of my martial arts students who are all under 25 are currently serving in Afghan.
 

SacredCoconut

Orange Belt
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
Messages
65
Reaction score
1
Location
Finland
Grumpy oldmanism? Dude im 32. Im not old. I am aware that mankinkind especially cityfolk have lost an important connection with life. This trend also is found in gung fu. The reality is you cant go anywhere without seeing kids with eyes stuck to a computer. Just as most adults are addicted to it as well.
Im not one to cater to delicate sensativities. So ya i say LAZY.

As for kindle...why would anyone want their library to be stored in a electronic box that could be destroyed with a single magnet. A spilled glass of water etc.
It makes no sense.

Its not said by every generation. This is the first generstion with this situation

Let's just stop this retarded conversation. By the way if you don't understand, why you would want kindle, your realy close minded person. I could as wells say, why would enyone want bookshelf full of books, as it takes ton of space, but i wont because there is cons to it too.
 

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
It may seem like a sidetrack but if someone had said such things about any other group of people there would have been an uproar, it simply isn't right to disparage a whole group of people in this way. I believe young people have a lot to offer and actually do, we have young people who have to care for parents, we have them fund raising for charities we have them fighting for their countries so lets not write them off.
If you think young people have lost their 'connection' to your martial art then go out and inspire them.
 
OP
prairiemantis

prairiemantis

Yellow Belt
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
42
Reaction score
2
Location
north america
I was not pointing at kids until it was mentioned. I was not refering to just "young people" i said " this generation" . And i included myself as a part of it.

I have no interest in turning children on to my art
I dont understand the defensive hostility thrown at me here in this thread. Its very ugly and draining of energy.
Im done with this conversation.
 
Last edited:

Tez3

Sr. Grandmaster
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Messages
27,608
Reaction score
4,901
Location
England
I never once said "young people" i said " this generation" .

I have no interest in turning children on to my art
I dont understand the defensive hostility thrown at me here in this thread. Its very ugly and draining of energy.
Im done with this conversation.

Ha bumhug!

It isn't 'defensive hostility' (that's buzz words if ever I saw them, I don't do 'defensive as attack is the best form of defence lol), it's pointing out that you are being derogatory about a whole generation. You were quite insulting about city people too. We aren't the same generation and if mine had given up on yours, then I wonder where you'd have been then. :uhyeah:
 

Latest Discussions

Top