So many Grandmasters appear!

[klonk]

c_xlong:

I think America's tendency toward skepticism is managing to sort out this kind of thing, slowly but surely. I speak of the general run of people. There are always those who want to be deceived. You can do nothing for them, in martial arts or any other area.

[Scott P. Phillips]

Chinese martial arts are the best at training people not to fight. That's because historically they were rooted in a system of social power and negotiable alliances which gave priority to harmony, not breeding champions. Being a grandmaster means you are good and managing challenges to your skill or your high status.

[kshurika]

Chinese martial arts are the best at training people not to fight. That's because historically they were rooted in a system of social power and negotiable alliances which gave priority to harmony, not breeding champions. Being a grandmaster means you are good and managing challenges to your skill or your high status.

Wow. I don't think I understood a word of that!

[klonk]

I think he deserves a dashi rank for effort. Only, I don't know how he would advertise.
Kung Fu Fighting Not Taught Here!

[wiesiek]

Scott,
managing challenges - means kill them first, negotiation latter
this way you rooted in a system of social power and getting base for negotiable alliances...
havens like earth
only bigger

[dragonprawn]

Say what you will about the appropriateness of the titles Master and Grandmaster but stop saying that this is an American phenomenon.

[johnwang]

If you have a group of good friends all your life. Oneday, one of your friend feels that he deserves to be called "Grandmaster". That's the day that you lost that lifetime friend forever. Very sad indeed.

[WongYing]

It is not just an American phenomenon it is however very much a western thing. In my 20 years travelling to China no one out there calls them self Grand Master Grand PooBah what ever

[klonk]

Perhaps we can defuse this unhappy situation by a bit of linguistic sneakiness. If we call everyone grandmaster, the title will lose its specialness.

Then, I suppose, those wishing to especially distinguish themselves will have to call themselves super duper grandmasters +3, eventually leading to a situation that is plainly ridiculous to everyone.

[cdobe]

Say what you will about the appropriateness of the titles Master and Grandmaster but stop saying that this is an American phenomenon.

大師 Dashi: great/eldest/grand/major teacher

主 Zhu: Master/Lord

Yes, using Master for martial artists is a Western phenomenon. And John Wang's last contribution are wise words...

[fuga]

Perhaps we can defuse this unhappy situation by a bit of linguistic sneakiness. If we call everyone grandmaster, the title will lose its specialness.

Good idea, Grandmaster Klonk.

[klonk]

Part of the problem here is "master" in English is a big floppy bag of a word, containing numerous definitions.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/master
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/master

It can mean teacher, or expert, or slave owner, or sea captain, or venerated leader, or other things. A fencing teacher is often a "fencing master" and this is an instance of "master" meaning "teacher." (I suppose it could also mean a craftsman in a fence building guild, if there were such a guild.)

When a word has a big nimbus of meanings surrounding it, as "master" does, you have to be careful which meaning you mean.

[nianfong]

hmmm.... to BTDT or not to BTDT... that is the question... taking input.

[klonk]

Perhaps we can defuse this unhappy situation by a bit of linguistic sneakiness. If we call everyone grandmaster, the title will lose its specialness.

Good idea, Grandmaster Klonk.

Thank you, Great Grandmaster +3 Fuga.

[klonk]

hmmm.... to BTDT or not to BTDT... that is the question... taking input.

Well, we have been over this ground before, and more than once.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=10355&start=0&st=0
http://www.rumsoakedfist.org/viewtopic. ... 11109&st=0

On the other hand, it may be good to bring this matter to light now and then. It is an area where misunderstandings occur, sometimes to the harm of the gullible.

I dunno. It's your call, Grandmaster Fong.