After watching those videos and reading through the comments I felt like adding my own take on this whole thing.
First off, I joined a Shuri-ryu karate school with the purpose of self-improvement. I didn't want to take lives, I didn't want to be a bad ***, I just wanted to focus my body, mind, and spirit and get a sense of self-improvement. I was not disappointed. I've only been in the system for a month and I feel more refreshed then ever. I now have a reason to get up and want to work out or train. My diet has improved, my grades have improved, and I have already learned so much, not just about my system, but about life in general. I learned that if you want to master something you need to repeat it and practice it. I am learning the value of discipline, respect to my superiors, as well as slew of other things. For me, this is the true value of my training so far and totally vindicates the $50 I pay per month.
And for me to see these videos is saddening. Penn and Teller may be entertainers, but I have never been a big fan of people who use lies under the guise of illusion for comedy. There are so many intangible benefits to being a part of a true martial arts system and while there are certainly idiots in every field, including martial arts, it is irresponsible for them, and offensive to thousands if not millions of people in America and across the world to give such a one-sided view of martial arts.
That being said, there are also a lot of specific claims he makes that I have issues with.
First off, their analysis of the belt system, to me, was way off. The belt system, to me, is a great idea. It is PROVEN through countless studies that setting goals will help your progression in any aspect of life. Martial arts is no different, and as a lowly white belt, when I think about testing for yellow belt in a few months it makes me excited and encourages me to train harder, perhaps, then I would if I had no measure of my progress. Granted, the belt system creates a certain group of students who have the philosophy, "ooh a black belt is my ultimate goal, give me the exact requirements and I'll try to do exactly the minimum just to say I have the belt," and while it is abused by some instructors, I think that as a measure of progress and a rough indicator of seniority and skill, that the belt system works great.
Secondly, Penn and Teller, as well as a comment by a John, earlier in this thread, about guns is just way off base based on what I know. My biggest qualm with this is that they are spreading knowledge that could be potentially harmful. If you go out and buy a gun, get a concealed carry license, open carry it, or whatever and think that that will protect you absolutely, that is terribly wrong and even potentially dangerous. Imagine if somebody comes up to rob you and you pull a gun on them. If they even have a basic knowledge of gun defense, they will not only be able to stop you from firing it, but because you didn't want to "waste" money and time learning martial arts or any sort of close range self-defense, you will also not have any idea what to do if you are disarmed or in an area where guns aren't permitted. Also, many people are uncomfortable with a gun or live in states or countries where gun control is strict.
Thirdly, I've only been at my dojo for one month and I've already volunteered to help out around the place. Since when did we become a society where volunteering is confused as unpaid slave labor? To me, martial arts schools are like families and in a family, the sons, daughters, and cousins don't demand payment from the patriarch or matriarch for their chores. They do them because they have a sense of responsibility and they understand how each of their individual tasks, no matter how menial, help build the family into a greater thing.
Finally, I just wanted to say that I also realize there are a lot of idiots that Penn and Teller are justified in calling out. But to condemn martial arts as BS as a whole, is just terrible. If there is one thing he said that I liked, it is that martial artists are truly that, "artists." We are a people who can do beautiful and effective things in and out of society with our body and our minds, both with our arts and from the lessons learned from our studies. This is what being a martial artist means to me, and I'm so glad that I made the decision to join the ranks of a proud and historic tradition, despite anything that Penn and Teller tells me, jesting or otherwise.
