It's Raining Grand Masters.

[The Master]

In my travels along this electronic highway, I often come across countless individuals who profess great merit, greater knowledge and even greater ability.

Some examples include 1 individual with 10 tenth degrees in various arts, a founder of a "real fighting art" who also claimed ranks above 8th in over 20! disciplines, and many more. One even admittedhis training consisted of solo work in his backyard, yet he has the "most effective system", a claim disputed by several thousand of his peers.

Many of them use Japanese or Chinese titles, or combinations of terms and titles from several cultures, none their own of course.

All were founders or grandmasters of systems whose family tree roots with them, yet in no cases did I ever see any mention of actual combat experience. No mention of martial experience on the battlefield. In most cases, less than 20 years training in the barbarous conditions of a matted, air conditioned and heated school. Some in fact are so skilled that they have never experienced a single fight in their lives!

Truly, we are blessed that these supermen walk the earth, and can so easily absorb and distill the combined knowledge of 6, 10, a dozen or 24 different systems, each one of which would take a mortal a lifetime of serious intense study to learn and understand.

A hundred years ago, you could count the number of real masters world wide and be challenged to find double digits within a days travel. Today, the grand masters of even a single US state would fill a small stadium to capacity. What enlightened times we live in. What advancements we have made. To allow so many at so young to learn so much and master it so well.

Truly, it is raining Grand Masters.

 

[exile]

In my travels along this electronic highway, I often come across countless individuals who profess great merit, greater knowledge and even greater ability.

Some examples include 1 individual with 10 tenth degrees in various arts, a founder of a "real fighting art" who also claimed ranks above 8th in over 20! disciplines, and many more. One even admittedhis training consisted of solo work in his backyard, yet he has the "most effective system", a claim disputed by several thousand of his peers.

Many of them use Japanese or Chinese titles, or combinations of terms and titles from several cultures, none their own of course.

All were founders or grandmasters of systems whose family tree roots with them, yet in no cases did I ever see any mention of actual combat experience. No mention of martial experience on the battlefield. In most cases, less than 20 years training in the barbarous conditions of a matted, air conditioned and heated school. Some in fact are so skilled that they have never experienced a single fight in their lives!

Truly, we are blessed that these supermen walk the earth, and can so easily absorb and distill the combined knowledge of 6, 10, a dozen or 24 different systems, each one of which would take a mortal a lifetime of serious intense study to learn and understand.

A hundred years ago, you could count the number of real masters world wide and be challenged to find double digits within a days travel. Today, the grand masters of even a single US state would fill a small stadium to capacity. What enlightened times we live in. What advancements we have made. To allow so many at so young to learn so much and master it so well.

Truly, it is raining Grand Masters.

On every side Field-Marshals gleamed,
Small beer were Lords-Lieutenants deemed,
With Admirals the ocean teemed
All round his wide dominions...

When everyone is somebodeeeeee....
Then no one's anybod-EEE!

[as per G & S's The Gondoliers] :lol:

 

[arnisador]

I'm reminded of the Royal Army of Oz...one private, all the rest officers.

 

[The Last Legionary]

If it was really raining GM's, the number of huge craters would put the world at risk. Those boys is Faaaaaaaat! Too many $300 "honorary" banquests maybe to collect their "peers" recognition for all that they did (sending in a check that cleared and a video no one watched, to get a piece of paper worth no more than the ones that come in rolls)

 

[YoungMan]

Just go to any World Head of Family Sokeship meeting. A Grandmaster everywhere you look. All legitimate I'm sure:wink2:

 

[Xue Sheng]

Yup they are everywhere... but they were not in China unless you are being sarcastic or unless the guy was dead.... Call a real Sifu a grand master to his face and you better be damn certain he is a fake or you better know him and be joking or you better be ready for a fight.

However now a days I have seen a couple of masters in China that have websites in both Chinese and English; In the Chinese version they are at best a sifu... In the English version they are Grandmasters... what does that tell you.

 

[grydth]

Yes, and the grotesque puffing is by no means limited to the martial arts.

My wife is a professor and assistant dean, things she killed herself for years to achieve. Yet, she can be outshone by those with purchased or completely faked degrees.

I turned the channel in disgust after hearing a "reporter" describe Hellary Klinton as "one of the hundred best lawyers in America"....... only to hear the exact same thing on the next station. I asked any number of colleagues what great case(s) she had ever tried and who'd awarded the title. Nobody could say. I'm thinking it was Lord Begala or Chief Justice Carville.

Of the toughest people I've ever been on the mat with, none used grandiose titles. Half didn't even look like fighters - until they moved and threw you into the next county.

As long as it sells to the sheeple, expect to see more of this and in more places.

 

[MJS]

I'm often confused by the fasination some people have with fancy titles and a ton of stripes or bars on their belt, as well as claims of multiple arts, as well as high degrees of rank in those arts. Its almost as if by claiming all this, its going to make people "ohh and ahh" over them. Now, I'm sure that some people will be impressed, but I really don't know why.

For myself, I'm much more concerned with what the person can teach me. I don't care if the person is a 1st degree or 10th. I want to make sure the person a) knows the material, b) can they apply the material, c) can they teach the material.

That is something that I personally feel is the most important for me. Someone else may have different views and thats fine. But like I said, its what they can offer me that matters, not the fluff.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I think if I was claiming to be something I wasn't I'd be afraid of some guy coming along and trying to see what I got....

 

[theletch1]

We western types are very much a visual media society. We want to see those hundred stripes on the belt. We want to see the title. We want to see that Great Grand Poobah High Soke title on the business cards. We don't really care if it's been earned...at least until we begin serious training and realize how badly we, the individual, can get burned. Flesh sells... so does flash. Give folks enough of either and you have them beating down your door. "I trained directly with Great Grand Poobah High Soke Smith at a two day seminar and he gave me a 5th dan certificate so now I can claim high rank in yet another art." It's marketing arts, not martial arts.:angry:

 

[Guardian]

Yup they are everywhere... but they were not in China unless you are being sarcastic or unless the guy was dead.... Call a real Sifu a grand master to his face and you better be damn certain he is a fake or you better know him and be joking or you better be ready for a fight.

However now a days I have seen a couple of masters in China that have websites in both Chinese and English; In the Chinese version they are at best a sifu... In the English version they are Grandmasters... what does that tell you.

That tells me that in the West we put alot of importance on a name whether earned or not.

 

[Hand Sword]

My, oh my, see how the almighty dollar corrupts.

 

[MJS]

My, oh my, see how the almighty dollar corrupts.

True, true, true. Between the need for lots of cash and the need to display a belt with 50 stripes, a wall full of 'certificates' and a resume that is 50 pages long of people you've 'trained' under, its no wonder some of the arts today get laughed at.

 

[newGuy12]

Of the toughest people I've ever been on the mat with, none used grandiose titles. Half didn't even look like fighters - until they moved and threw you into the next county.

Heh, been there, had THAT done to me. One of those American Kenpo Men who was a little bit chubby. That was one of the best jump spinning side kicks that I have ever witnessed in real life. And to feel it to, my, my!

Yes, there are a lot of flat out fakes. Disgusting! In a better world, someone would walk in the school and say, "Okay, then, Mr. Expert, lets go!!!"

 

[theletch1]

My, oh my, see how the almighty dollar corrupts.

The dollar has something to do with it but not everything. A great deal of it is, IMO, the "cult leader" mentality. All folks feel the need to be respected by their peer groups. Some have the need to be adored or feared. The "Grand Master" types that are being discussed here have the need for all of those things to the nth degree. There are people that hold the Grand Master title because their association awarded it to them and they don't flaunt it or even let it affect the way that they interact with their students at all. Others go into "Mr. Miyagi" mode the moment they hit shodan and it only gets worse the higher up through the ranks that they go. Money may play into a bit of how they run the business of the martial arts but it's ego that drives the Great Grand Poobah Masters.

 

[arnisador]

Of the toughest people I've ever been on the mat with, none used grandiose titles. Half didn't even look like fighters - until they moved and threw you into the next county.

Well said. I've met the same folks as you I think. I remember a scrawny little guy from Texas who dropped my instructor like a rock with a move so quick I had to ask for instant replay. If you had asked me to fight him before that I would have declined on the grounds that it wouldn't have been fair to him. I changed my mind pretty quickly. My JKD instructor is addressed by his first name in class. I'm not sure he even has a title. He moves like lightning and hits like a bullet.

For myself, I'm much more concerned with what the person can teach me. I don't care if the person is a 1st degree or 10th.[...] its what they can offer me that matters, not the fluff.

In fairness, I've learned some good stuff from people who acted like buffoons. But without a doubt, if I had to assemble a team of half a dozen people to back me up in a brawl, none of the people I'm thinking of has more than one title.

 

[MJS]

In fairness, I've learned some good stuff from people who acted like buffoons. But without a doubt, if I had to assemble a team of half a dozen people to back me up in a brawl, none of the people I'm thinking of has more than one title.

Oh by all means, I'm not questioning skill. I'm sure there are many inflated ranks, yet those people can still teach. But, they don't have to impress me with a bunch of fancy stuff. I'm not training with someone because of a fancy belt or title, but instead, to learn something.

But I agree with you on your list.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Well said. I've met the same folks as you I think. I remember a scrawny little guy from Texas who dropped my instructor like a rock with a move so quick I had to ask for instant replay. If you had asked me to fight him before that I would have declined on the grounds that it wouldn't have been fair to him. I changed my mind pretty quickly. My JKD instructor is addressed by his first name in class. I'm not sure he even has a title. He moves like lightning and hits like a bullet.

My taiji sifu is 70, considerably shorter and lighter than me been training Taiji for over 50 years and tells no one anything about taiji or CMA outside of class or his students and he can throw me around like a rag doll with little effort.

He has, in the time I have been training with him, had 2 students try and call him grand master. He told them to stop, he is not a grand master, they could call him by his first name if they liked but if they were more comfortable with a title then Sifu was just fine.

 

[kidswarrior]

I think if I was claiming to be something I wasn't I'd be afraid of some guy coming along and trying to see what I got....

This has always been my thought, too. The only GM I know/have trained with looks like a little old man (which he is--70+), with a perm (which he has), and is one of the last guys on the planet I'd want mad at me. When you see him move, it's absolutely shocking. Oh, and he insists everyone call him by his first name.

So, everytime I get ready to move up, I think to myself, how would ______ see this? Would he think I'd earned it? (I can't train with him anymore). It's been a helpful plumbline for me.

OH, and after I posted I see the X-S beat me too it--again. :lol:

And Arni, too! :erg: There must be some mold these guys come out of.

 

[Xue Sheng]

OH, and after I posted I see the X-S beat me too it--again. :lol:

And Arni, too! :erg: There must be some mold these guys come out of.

Great minds think alike