Why don't famous masters post here?

Appledog

Appledog50 3

Purple Belt
I was watching some old kung-fu movies when I came across an old favorite; 'They call me Bruce.' I couldn't stop laughing. Then I had an epiphany. Why doesn't Pui Chan post here?

This probably isn't considered a problem because everywhere online is like this. But I realized, that's just a form of capitulation.

Why doesn't anyone who is central to the real martial arts scene, you know, in the real world, post online? Why didn't Henry Look post here? I remember judging Tai Chi divisions under him in Baltimore in the '90s. I tell you, unless you saw Wai Lun Choi's LHBF demo you would never believe the story. Those were the days! But why did these people never really became a part of the online community? Even just to be here, to support it. In the house, the new world place to be! To maybe answer questions on an official, or even unofficial basis, from time to time. Or even just to hang out!

In fact, none of the people I met back then ever posted anywhere online. They're just... not here.

This place is like a parallel reality.

I asked my sifus why they didn't ever post online. They said the older generation does not like to post online because people online will attack you and show disrespect for fun; there is no Wu De. Online, people are concerned too much with pretending to know things and establishing a social hierarchy (pecking order).

I didn't believe them and I believed that online forums could have a valuable role. Many people disagreed with me. I had long conversations with people like ###########(redacted) over similar topics. I asked him, 'You know (x) can be talked about, and you know how to do (x) etc, why do you say 'you can't see internal' and come up with all these alternate ways to explain it?' His response, I will never forget. He said he enjoyed hiding information from people online and lording it over them. I didn't judge him, I was just surprised, maybe a little in awe. I had always thought online should be a place of freedom, truth and discussion. But some people disagree.

Don't take this as too much of a criticism. I spent a long, long time on forums like this. I was even a discord moderator on a major debate server for three years. You get burned out online. Maybe I need to take a month off or two? No, I am not suggesting anything as prosaic as quitting. That would mean this is an addiction. And I know I am not addicted because I can quit any time I want to. You know it's true because look at all the times I have quit in the past. No, this is me being unable to do two things at the same time. I will go watch some kung-fu movies and come back later. Maybe when I stop laughing at 'They call me Bruce.' It works on so many levels. Might be a while though, send it in dm if it's important :) May God bless you all :)
 
It was very well documented that back in the earlier days of the internet, in JMA circles some very well respected english-speaking folks posted regularly. They all left because they became sick of arguing over silly issues with anonymous, inexperienced derps online.
 
I'm not in CMAs but I find this topic interesting. Most of the people I trained with had no interest in MAs outside of their school besides maybe a congrats post on Facebook. This is really the only forum for MA that I post on and I'm rather new here but old to Karate.

I think there are also a lot of folks who live by tradition and flamewar anyone who dissents on their opinions so it scares off newbies. The folks here today seem to be pretty reasonable. I do wish there were more posters and the mods maybe did some freshening up on the dead forms so things looked more active but its a pretty good community.
 
How famous do they have to be to count? Kung Fu Wang is very active on this forum and I'd heard of him, and he seemed to be pretty famous and very well regarded in grappling circles, long before I joined Martial Talk. And he wasn't teaching anywhere near where I lived. I've heard him say that he takes a lot of flak on judo forums because he doesn't do judo, and he's just one of the regulars here who we all debate with, so maybe he's a good example of why you shouldn't participate in online forums if you want to maintain your mystique and aura of fame! Maybe he'd be one of those famous masters you were referring to if he wasn't active online!

I don't know Buka's actual identity, but he seems to have trained with a vast number of very famous people. If I knew who he was I might think he was famous. There may be others here that I'm not aware of, either because they're anonymous or becuase I'm ignorant of their reputations.

Edit to add: Sure, Buka may not fit the criteria here because he isn't focused primarily on CMA.
 
BrendanF said:
It was very well documented that back in the earlier days of the internet, in JMA circles some very well respected english-speaking folks posted regularly. They all left because they became sick of arguing over silly issues with anonymous, inexperienced derps online.
Click to expand...
JMA, Kenpo, Eskrima, and s few others. But CMA, only a couple.
 
Appledog said:
Why doesn't anyone who is central to the real martial arts scene, you know, in the real world, post online?
Click to expand...
Being famous and being central to the real martial arts scene are two different things. There are many famous "martial artists" that outside of movies, don't know the first thing about martial arts.

I have trained with a lot of people that are very good, true masters of their arts.... some have fame, most do not.

I would argue that most people central to the martial arts scene, are not famous at all. But, they are central to and essential to the real martial arts scene. I would even argue that the students are the most important part of the scene.... without students, the arts die.

There are plenty of folks here, who fit the master category. They don't flaunt their rank around. They are just people, they are approachable. I think it is healthy that we have a place to talk about things, to ask questions, to share feedback.... without fame and rank getting in the way... just people talking. But, that does not mean that there are not true masters here... Some of the people here have forgotten more martial arts then most of us will ever learn.... but they come here, ask for no special recognition and participate in our discussions. I appreciate this and learn as much as I can from them.

Don't overlook the opportunity that you have here.
 
BrendanF said:
It was very well documented that back in the earlier days of the internet, in JMA circles some very well respected english-speaking folks posted regularly. They all left because they became sick of arguing over silly issues with anonymous, inexperienced derps online.
Click to expand...
yup

It's been like that on almost every forum forever. Some forums ban the people who know what they're talking about before they have a chance to leave.
 
Marsha Larts said:
yup

It's been like that on almost every forum forever. Some forums ban the people who know what they're talking about before they have a chance to leave.
Click to expand...
On other sites I have seen them stop posting, and I believe it was due to the number of people wanting to argue and troll the post. It has at times looked like, if you show up, and you are known, that in some cases that puts a target on them
 
wab25 said:
Being famous and being central to the real martial arts scene are two different things. There are many famous "martial artists" that outside of movies, don't know the first thing about martial arts.

I have trained with a lot of people that are very good, true masters of their arts.... some have fame, most do not.

I would argue that most people central to the martial arts scene, are not famous at all. But, they are central to and essential to the real martial arts scene. I would even argue that the students are the most important part of the scene.... without students, the arts die.

There are plenty of folks here, who fit the master category. They don't flaunt their rank around. They are just people, they are approachable. I think it is healthy that we have a place to talk about things, to ask questions, to share feedback.... without fame and rank getting in the way... just people talking. But, that does not mean that there are not true masters here... Some of the people here have forgotten more martial arts then most of us will ever learn.... but they come here, ask for no special recognition and participate in our discussions. I appreciate this and learn as much as I can from them.

Don't overlook the opportunity that you have here.
Click to expand...
I’ve got to tell you, we have had some martial arts book authors on the sight, some were good, some were.complete idiots
 
Yes, Kung Fu Wang was mentioned, I swear I’ve heard or read about him before any internet martial arts forums.
And who knows about you other guys, like KFW you might also be skillful famous masters but unlike KFW hiding behind your usernames playing to be beginners
 
Not necessarily CMA, but there have been a couple famous posters throughout the years. Some don't express it all that often, or it's known but you just forget (and if someone new joins the forum, they wouldn't realize who they're talking to - particularly if it's not their focus of interest).
KFW is one, the other one that surprised me was when I heard kirk lawson (who for some reason I'm not able to tag today, and seems to have taken a long vacation from this site this year) mentioned in real life as an authority figure on classical boxing.
 
We've had "names" on here before. We still have a few. One of the things about is that most of those "names" are busy folks, and don't spend a lot of time staring at screens. (And some feel, with varying degrees of justification, that their time is worth money and why should they give stuff away free here...) Others have caught so much drama and grief that they've chosen to leave. And boards like this have become a niche thing; social media has changed and evolved.

Another aspect is that, in most cases, even the "big names" in a style are really only big names in that group -- there just arent that many guys out there super known outside surprisingly tight circles. A few get wider reknown, but they're few and far between. So someone here might be a "name" to their art -- but a nobody to a lot of folks.
 
Monkey Turned Wolf said:
Not necessarily CMA, but there have been a couple famous posters throughout the years. Some don't express it all that often, or it's known but you just forget (and if someone new joins the forum, they wouldn't realize who they're talking to - particularly if it's not their focus of interest).
KFW is one, the other one that surprised me was when I heard kirk lawson (who for some reason I'm not able to tag today, and seems to have taken a long vacation from this site this year) mentioned in real life as an authority figure on classical boxing.
Click to expand...
Isnt Lawson a sword guy too?
 
Same Trick said:
Yes, Kung Fu Wang was mentioned, I swear I’ve heard or read about him before any internet martial arts forums.
And who knows about you other guys, like KFW you might also be skillful famous masters but unlike KFW hiding behind your usernames playing to be beginners
Click to expand...
Ok, you got me…. I am the grandmaster, royal poobaa, master of all i survey of Xuefu
 
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