it's a good time to be a martial artist?

[Octavius]

Do you think now, today, is a good time to be a martial artist? Or was it better to be an MAist back in the days of sword and spears? If you think about it, we now have access to more information and openness in the martial arts than ever before, and you can learn different arts from all over the world without too much difficulty. It's also possible to be a martial artist and not be a fugitive or a criminal, but be a successful and respected and productive member of society. But then again, there's also so much BS, politics, nonesense within and about MA that in the past could have been settled with a real bout that now you can't do becasue our cultures no longer tolerate (both legally and cylturally) physical confrontations. On the other hand, in the past, important martial knoweldge had not been lost (much), or at least not so diluted and BS-ified as it is today, and the training was probably closer to reality since you really did need to rely on your fighting skills to survive. On the flip side of that was the fact that life was not so easy and often times being a martial artist meant you were poor, illiterate, or forced into a narrow vocation (unless you were simply of the upper class and just had a lot of money). What're your opinions?

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by Octavius
Do you think now, today, is a good time to be a martial artist? Or was it better to be an MAist back in the days of sword and spears? If you think about it, we now have access to more information and openness in the martial arts than ever before, and you can learn different arts from all over the world without too much difficulty. It's also possible to be a martial artist and not be a fugitive or a criminal, but be a successful and respected and productive member of society.

For most of these reasons, I feel we are better off today.


But then again, there's also so much BS, politics, nonesense within and about MA

because of the first quote (specifically, access to information) you can avoid this, and be made aware of schools, styles that are known for engaging in it.


that in the past could have been settled with a real bout that now you can't do becasue our cultures no longer tolerate (both legally and cylturally) physical confrontations.

sure you can. Walk into a school, be polite and ask for a match with some of the students.

On the other hand, in the past, important martial knoweldge had not been lost (much), or at least not so diluted and BS-ified as it is today, and the training was probably closer to reality since you really did need to rely on your fighting skills to survive.

diluting isn't necessarily a bad thing - judo is a perfect example. I agree with you in general on that though. However, I really believe that sport fighters of today trained more closely to the way it was done back then.

On the flip side of that was the fact that life was not so easy and often times being a martial artist meant you were poor, illiterate, or forced into a narrow vocation (unless you were simply of the upper class and just had a lot of money). What're your opinions?


That's true in many cases today also - How many MA teachers on KFO have a second source of income?

[AshidaKimFan]

However, I really believe that sport fighters of today trained more closely to the way it was done back then.

Except of course the Gladiators in the Colloseum :D

Had to pick on ya 7* since I see you're a brother MT'er