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JazzKicker
Orange Belt
Joined: 07 Aug 2017
Posts: 174
Location: NJ
Styles: Hapkido, JKD, TSD
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 Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2017 7:47 am Post subject: |
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As near as I can tell, there are as many kids as ever "taking karate". Most won't stick with it, when they discover baseball or dance or the opposite sex, or they go to college.
For the ones that did stay with it, the ones at their peak in their 20's now- there has always been MMA, the UFC, YouTube and the rest of the Internet.
My point is, despite the pervasive onslaught of technology in our lives, young people still participate in martial arts, and they have much more resources, knowledge, and connections available to them. |
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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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| Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2017 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Remember hearing a news report from France.
That the teenagers were afraid to go out at night due to the adults.
How ironic the way things change. |
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MatsuShinshii
Black Belt
Joined: 15 Aug 2016
Posts: 1423
Location: Kentucky
Styles: Machimura Suidi Rokudan, Ryukyu Kenpo, Kobudo, Judo
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Alan Armstrong wrote: |
| The "me me generation" are the self centered narcissists in society, that over value themselves and their abilities, expecting to be treated as if being famous or special but in reality are just very conceited people. |
Sounds like your talking about the Millennials. Every young person I have interviewed for a potential job has this attitude. They feel that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's called parents not being honest and over elevating their children even when they fail.
They do not have common sense. They feel that they deserve the same as those that have done something for most of their lives and have expertise in. It matters not that they haven't the foggiest notion of the position they apply for. They just know their mommy and daddy told them they were better than everyone else and they expect you to feel the same.
It's called not properly preparing their kids for the real life. It's called dishonesty but they call it good parenting. Wow things have changed.
| Alan Armstrong wrote: |
| "MA lux" is just a made up name, to describe very shallow fighting priciples in Martial Arts, that do it for luxury things or just for the attention of being noticed; winning or losing isn't important for them but being on TV is. |
Again sounds like Millennials. Those that spend their entire lives worried about what others on the internet think of them and measuring their self worth on how many "likes" they have. Essentially putting their whole lives, including personal, on line for the world to see because they have swallowed the kool-aid and think the only way they achieve something is for everyone creeping on line to see them do it and to give them positive comments.
This is not in my book a measure of self worth but then again I'm a little older and don't need someone to pat me on the back and tell me what I'm worth.
In their minds this is a success. But why wouldn't it be? They have received trophies for loosing. Is this not the same thing? Being on TV and loosing is still winning and is for all intents and purposes a form of success just like posting on line and having millions view you. They got on TV so they won. Pretty simple really.
But I'm not sure why my generation or any other leading up to these younger peoples generation would be surprised by this. We see it every day. Instant gratification, awards without accomplishment, praise for mediocrity. What is it that anyone should expect?
You didn't make the mistake and think that they should live up to a higher standard when all standards have been removed and deleted, did you? Every kid gets passed on so they do not strive to pass. Every kid gets a trophy so they do not strive to win. Every kid gets told they are the best so they just do not strive to be better. You were expecting more????????? Ha! The jokes on you.
_________________
The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails-but the one who moves on in spite of failure.
Charles R. Swindoll |
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Shizentai
Green Belt
Joined: 01 Mar 2009
Posts: 417
Styles: karate
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| Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 11:45 am Post subject: |
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| singularity6 wrote: |
| Alan Armstrong wrote: |
The "me me generation" are the self centered narcissists in society, that over value themselves and their abilities, expecting to be treated as if being famous or special but in reality are just very conceited people.
"MA lux" is just a made up name, to describe very shallow fighting priciples in Martial Arts, that do it for luxury things or just for the attention of being noticed; winning or losing isn't important for them but being on TV is. |
Every generation is the "me me generation."
Each generation has its idiosyncrasies, and each generation has its positive traits. Just because they're different, doesn't mean they're less than the others. |
| Quote: |
Sounds like your talking about the Millennials. Every young person I have interviewed for a potential job has this attitude. They feel that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's called parents not being honest and over elevating their children even when they fail.
They do not have common sense. They feel that they deserve the same as those that have done something for most of their lives and have expertise in. It matters not that they haven't the foggiest notion of the position they apply for. They just know their mommy and daddy told them they were better than everyone else and they expect you to feel the same.
It's called not properly preparing their kids for the real life. It's called dishonesty but they call it good parenting. Wow things have changed.
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I have to agree with singularity6 on this one. Every generation throws crap at the generation that follows it. This is nothing new. In addition, lumping an entire generation together either while praising or admonishing them is a bit foolhardy, because individual experiences, privilege, and values vary quite a bit across individuals of the same age.
I am 31, so I get lumped into the "millenial" category by many people's definition of the term. However, the stereotypes of what I'm supposed to be like don't make sense to me:
Am I...
1. lazy? Well, this is subjective, but I can't honestly remember the last weekend I didn't spend working. The reason is because I love my job, and I write better while siting comfortably in my own abode. I try to leave weekdays free for meetings and lab work.
2. living off my parents? I moved out of my parents' house when I was a teenager because a natural disaster destroyed it, and along with it, both of my parents' places of employment. They weren't in a financial position to pay for my college, even if they wanted to. I went to a state school, got scholarships for some of it, worked and took out loans for the rest. I lived on ramen for a while after, but I paid those loans off. Luckily because I went in-state It didn't take me 20 years to do that. I'm now in the phase of my life where my sisters and I are financially planning for our parents' futures. Mom and dad have worked hard for a long time, but weren't able to save up much due to circumstances out of their control. We've got their backs though. I will make sure they're okay.
3. nacisistic? HAHAHA! Well, I do like myself, I won't lie, but it's not something I go around telling people or something. It took me a while to get to there too. I spent a lot of my formative years with a doctor's note and ankle braces on the side of the gym in PE class. I spent a lot of time in the free tutoring sessions my public school offered on the weekends, because I was slow at arithmetic and am a terrible speller. Maybe in some other universe I could think that I was born to be more amazing than others, but I am blatantly and obviously not superior to anyone.
4. a job-hopper? I've been working in social insect research for 11 years. I often had to work side-jobs to make it through, and I have switched institutions over that time, but I have avidly pursued this career since I fell in love with it while at a part-time job counting ants in college. Now I'm a postdoctoral researcher at an r1 institution. It's been a wild ride.
5. spoiled by constant participation trophies? I am trying to think of a time when I got a participation trophy as a kid. I think one time when I was about 10, I tore a ligament in my right knee and couldn't participate in a girl scout fundraiser bowling tournament as I had planned to.... so I sat on the side with my foot elevated and kept score for everyone else and was MC instead. The troop made me a little trophy that said "best score-keeper" after that. That's the only one I can think of. Does that count? Does that trophy make me spoiled? If so, please elaborate.
So go ahead. If you want to, take digs at me for being part of the problem with this ill-behaved fighter, or being somehow like her because of my age. I don't really see the connection though.
_________________
"My work itself is my best signature."
-Kawai Kanjiro |
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DWx
Black Belt
Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 6455
Location: UK
Styles: Tae Kwon Do & Yang family Tai Chi
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| Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Shizentai wrote: |
| singularity6 wrote: |
| Alan Armstrong wrote: |
The "me me generation" are the self centered narcissists in society, that over value themselves and their abilities, expecting to be treated as if being famous or special but in reality are just very conceited people.
"MA lux" is just a made up name, to describe very shallow fighting priciples in Martial Arts, that do it for luxury things or just for the attention of being noticed; winning or losing isn't important for them but being on TV is. |
Every generation is the "me me generation."
Each generation has its idiosyncrasies, and each generation has its positive traits. Just because they're different, doesn't mean they're less than the others. |
| Quote: |
Sounds like your talking about the Millennials. Every young person I have interviewed for a potential job has this attitude. They feel that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's called parents not being honest and over elevating their children even when they fail.
They do not have common sense. They feel that they deserve the same as those that have done something for most of their lives and have expertise in. It matters not that they haven't the foggiest notion of the position they apply for. They just know their mommy and daddy told them they were better than everyone else and they expect you to feel the same.
It's called not properly preparing their kids for the real life. It's called dishonesty but they call it good parenting. Wow things have changed.
|
I have to agree with singularity6 on this one. Every generation throws crap at the generation that follows it. This is nothing new. In addition, lumping an entire generation together either while praising or admonishing them is a bit foolhardy, because individual experiences, privilege, and values vary quite a bit across individuals of the same age.
I am 31, so I get lumped into the "millenial" category by many people's definition of the term. However, the stereotypes of what I'm supposed to be like don't make sense to me:
Am I...
1. lazy? Well, this is subjective, but I can't honestly remember the last weekend I didn't spend working. The reason is because I love my job, and I write better while siting comfortably in my own abode. I try to leave weekdays free for meetings and lab work.
2. living off my parents? I moved out of my parents' house when I was a teenager because a natural disaster destroyed it, and along with it, both of my parents' places of employment. They weren't in a financial position to pay for my college, even if they wanted to. I went to a state school, got scholarships for some of it, worked and took out loans for the rest. I lived on ramen for a while after, but I paid those loans off. Luckily because I went in-state It didn't take me 20 years to do that. I'm now in the phase of my life where my sisters and I are financially planning for our parents' futures. Mom and dad have worked hard for a long time, but weren't able to save up much due to circumstances out of their control. We've got their backs though. I will make sure they're okay.
3. nacisistic? HAHAHA! Well, I do like myself, I won't lie, but it's not something I go around telling people or something. It took me a while to get to there too. I spent a lot of my formative years with a doctor's note and ankle braces on the side of the gym in PE class. I spent a lot of time in the free tutoring sessions my public school offered on the weekends, because I was slow at arithmetic and am a terrible speller. Maybe in some other universe I could think that I was born to be more amazing than others, but I am blatantly and obviously not superior to anyone.
4. a job-hopper? I've been working in social insect research for 11 years. I often had to work side-jobs to make it through, and I have switched institutions over that time, but I have avidly pursued this career since I fell in love with it while at a part-time job counting ants in college. Now I'm a postdoctoral researcher at an r1 institution. It's been a wild ride.
5. spoiled by constant participation trophies? I am trying to think of a time when I got a participation trophy as a kid. I think one time when I was about 10, I tore a ligament in my right knee and couldn't participate in a girl scout fundraiser bowling tournament as I had planned to.... so I sat on the side with my foot elevated and kept score for everyone else and was MC instead. The troop made me a little trophy that said "best score-keeper" after that. That's the only one I can think of. Does that count? Does that trophy make me spoiled? If so, please elaborate.
So go ahead. If you want to, take digs at me for being part of the problem with this ill-behaved fighter, or being somehow like her because of my age. I don't really see the connection though. |
Great post Shinzentai.
At 27 I am also a so-called "millennial". Sure there are probably people that fit the above description of a lazy narcissistic individual... But you'd find that type of person in every generation and neither "baby boomers" or " generation X" are without fault.
_________________
"Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it." ~ Confucius |
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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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| Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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Due to marketing and networking abilities and not having real fighting skills or abilities there are many martial art organizations that sell virtual martial arts to the unsuspecting public, as they think what they are buying in to is real.
This is why the trophies for loosing and certificates awarded, just for showing up is a real concern.
With virtual taught black belts teaching others the same vitual nonsense, makes a joke of martial arts in general, which is also putting students in very real danger.
This again is due to helping students to pass grades that they have never learned and earned adequately, as it doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you have the cash to get it, it's your attitude.
I talked to a guy that is certified in a few martial art styles that he paid for through the mail, as he justifies it as, good for marketing. |
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Shizentai
Green Belt
Joined: 01 Mar 2009
Posts: 417
Styles: karate
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| Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Alan Armstrong wrote: |
Due to marketing and networking abilities and not having real fighting skills or abilities there are many martial art organizations that sell virtual martial arts to the unsuspecting public, as they think what they are buying in to is real.
This is why the trophies for loosing and certificates awarded, just for showing up is a real concern.
With virtual taught black belts teaching others the same vitual nonsense, makes a joke of martial arts in general, which is also putting students in very real danger.
This again is due to helping students to pass grades that they have never learned and earned adequately, as it doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you have the cash to get it, it's your attitude.
I talked to a guy that is certified in a few martial art styles that he paid for through the mail, as he justifies it as, good for marketing. |
This is fair, and sounds more like an institutional problem.
I was watching a video the other day (can't find it now) about one tactic for arm wrestling which involved giving yourself a massive adrenaline rush right before the match by loudly screaming and self-adulating. The adrenaline rush is short-lived, but so is the average arm-wrestling match. Such a rush of course won't replace years of training, but it does add a few percentages of probability. To what extent MMA fighters try to utilize this is something I'm not familiar with, as I don't do MMA, but I wonder if it could be related, annoying as it is to watch.
_________________
"My work itself is my best signature."
-Kawai Kanjiro |
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singularity6
Pre-Black Belt
Joined: 26 Jun 2017
Posts: 958
Location: Michigan
Styles: Jidokwan Taekwondo and Hapkido, Yoshokai Aikido, ZNIR Iaido, Kendo
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| Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 6:29 am Post subject: |
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The book "America's Generations: In The Workplace, Marketplace, And Living Room (2017)" by Chuck Underwood is a good resource for just about anyone to read.
Chuck Underwood came to my college for a startup day a couple years ago to talk about the differences in generations (basically, talking about this book.) Most of the folks in the room were from the Boomer's or (like me) Gen X. We also had a few Millennials. I found this information to be rather enlightening. A big take-away for me: You can talk about how each generation is better or worse than another, but overall, each one is just as capable as the others. The important thing is communication.
Teaching at a community college puts me in contact with people from all walks of life. I could complain about "how useless" the younger students are. But that would be quite counter-productive. These students need particular skills that older folks might take for granted. It is my (our) job to help them learn those skills (even though I teach math, and these skills aren't "math.") It's not easy, and I can't reach every student in just on semester. We all (student/teacher employee/employer, child/parent) need to pitch in and work together. Communication and cooperation are key!
_________________
5th Geup Jidokwan Tae Kwon Do/Hap Ki Do
(Never officially tested in aikido, iaido or kendo) |
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Alan Armstrong
Black Belt
Joined: 28 Feb 2016
Posts: 2468
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| Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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While having conversational English with none native speakers, one useful role playing subject is job interviews.
As these students are in their mid twenties, ambitious and educated, being fluid in a second language, is very important for them, to have an edge over other candidates, looking to fulfill the same job role.
While being job interviewed, I allow them to talk about themselves, also why they would be a good candidate for the job.
As the job interview continues, they realize that they are not very good at being interviewed; as they start to fully realize that they are more interested in what they can get, than what they can offer.
Eventually after about six tries, in to the interview, they catch on to the "Me Me" image they are portraying, or hiding behind.
I like it when the student opens up and starts talking realistically, instead of narcissistically.
Restarting the interviews, allowing them another chance to do better, pointing out where there could be improvements, is very helpful for them.
As being fluent in English, also needs to be fluent in being oneself and not trying to tell the interviewer things, that one might think they want to hear. |
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on the post.
