Matt Stone
Master of Arts
While admittedly this is a different time and place from the time honored tradition of "dojo busting," we have to remember that there is a public face and a private face to the things we do...
Publicly, we should denounce such behaviors. Publicly, we could sue or be sued for nearly anything we do in the school, whether we have signed a waiver or not.
Privately, however, the tradtion continues. Privately, the tradition should continue. It is an inbuilt check and balance to ensure folks don't go setting up shop in a mini-mall without some form of recourse should they turn out to be blatant frauds who endanger their students and the public with their false instruction.
Admittedly, when challenging such a teacher, it shouldn't be done with a "hey, buddy, I'm gonna clean your clock" attitude. It should be done (somewhat) respectfully. More along the lines of "what you teach is questionable at best - it is time to prove the validity of what you are selling" or words to that effect.
It shouldn't be taken personally by either side. The side being challenged should look at it as an opportunity to earn respect the hard way, the way that it cannot be questioned. The side challenging it should approach it impersonally, and with no sense of vengeance but a sense of equanimity.
The two engage. The two disengage. Should the challenger be the victor, the proof of the loser's skills stand on record. Should the challenger be defeated, the challenged's skill stand on record, and the challenger should apologize and move on.
There are right ways and wrong ways to do darn near everything. And so it is with this.
Gambarimasu.
:asian:
Publicly, we should denounce such behaviors. Publicly, we could sue or be sued for nearly anything we do in the school, whether we have signed a waiver or not.
Privately, however, the tradtion continues. Privately, the tradition should continue. It is an inbuilt check and balance to ensure folks don't go setting up shop in a mini-mall without some form of recourse should they turn out to be blatant frauds who endanger their students and the public with their false instruction.
Admittedly, when challenging such a teacher, it shouldn't be done with a "hey, buddy, I'm gonna clean your clock" attitude. It should be done (somewhat) respectfully. More along the lines of "what you teach is questionable at best - it is time to prove the validity of what you are selling" or words to that effect.
It shouldn't be taken personally by either side. The side being challenged should look at it as an opportunity to earn respect the hard way, the way that it cannot be questioned. The side challenging it should approach it impersonally, and with no sense of vengeance but a sense of equanimity.
The two engage. The two disengage. Should the challenger be the victor, the proof of the loser's skills stand on record. Should the challenger be defeated, the challenged's skill stand on record, and the challenger should apologize and move on.
There are right ways and wrong ways to do darn near everything. And so it is with this.
Gambarimasu.
:asian: