The distinction between frauds and cults is an important one. We can easily identify the frauds, claims of anime super powers, secret death tournaments, fabricated dan grades. Cults are harder. They may not even be intentional or (deliberately) malicious.
Teacher-student relationships are powerful. I was taken aback when one of my former students sent me a postcard saying I'd done the most to improve his English (I taught him elementary vocabulary on common occupations as a substitute teacher one week, his subsequent improvement was all his work!). Difficult to be objective all the time.
I totally agree. It's is the steps toward cultism that I was trying to focus on. You are right, often people don't realise that they are straying into that area, hence my final messages.
Good debate. I've noticed in my association the lack of female and non white very senior instructors. A slight tangent to your subject. Which given the number of black competitors say 20 years ago who performed on the international stage, one has to ask why. Money I guess is main reason. An ever narrower band of instructors can make a living out of martial arts, so they set up their own association or school local to where they live. Other life pressures such as children may also be factor. So we are left with half dozen very senior instructors, all from a very narrow base of clubs, locations and social demographics. Now naturally they will need to be replaced, but just how representative will their replacements be? Seems to me that like many things, martial arts are driven by personality, and the endless schism within each school or art is caused by ego, personality, greed or animosity. This then gives space to cults, where a charismatic personality finds oxygen to lure in the weak, vulnerable, desperate, damaged and traumatised with a simple answer to everything for everyone if they would just listen to what they say. And do what they're told. That's the place where we see cults.
There is a wider subject here, you are right. What seems to be absent is some kind of list or mission statement that leaders have to abide to. A kind of personal checklist that underlines the importance of the shared enterprise, rather than the glorification of one person (or an elite). I read an interesting book about meritocracy, something I used to believe in, now I am not so sure. But there is a kind of meritocracy in martial arts systems. A bigger debate is needed.
The idea of a cult, both in martial arts and in the wider world, is positively a spectrum, and I've seen many of the worst types of brainwash in jiu jitsu and in judo (to be fair, I don't think these arts are more prone to cult-like behavior, just more familiar to me). We actively police our culture to make sure no cults of personality are forming (they do anyway, but they can be addressed if you know they exist).
Finally (and probably most importantly), we owners don't act like we have all the answers. Our goal is to help students become creative wizards who can solve their own problems, not mindless robots who worship us and pay us every month.
I couldn't agree more. One of my continued themes is 'self-awareness', I reckon people automatically seem to think that they are 'self-aware' but I think it has to be subject to very personal rigorous review. The opposite (a kind of self-important righteousness) can easily sneak in. Also, an important antidote is the presence of a critical friend.
One of the main things I noticed in cult-like "dojos", is that the people who run it are threatened by talent, because they want to be the smartest person in the room at any cost, every time.
Conversely, humble sensei value talent and find fulfillment in helping it develop.
I am in total agreement. I think we should take pleasure in other people's success and enjoy working with real talent, instead of seeing as some kind of threat.
The distinction between frauds and cults is an important one. We can easily identify the frauds, claims of anime super powers, secret death tournaments, fabricated dan grades. Cults are harder. They may not even be intentional or (deliberately) malicious.
Teacher-student relationships are powerful. I was taken aback when one of my former students sent me a postcard saying I'd done the most to improve his English (I taught him elementary vocabulary on common occupations as a substitute teacher one week, his subsequent improvement was all his work!). Difficult to be objective all the time.
I totally agree. It's is the steps toward cultism that I was trying to focus on. You are right, often people don't realise that they are straying into that area, hence my final messages.
Good debate. I've noticed in my association the lack of female and non white very senior instructors. A slight tangent to your subject. Which given the number of black competitors say 20 years ago who performed on the international stage, one has to ask why. Money I guess is main reason. An ever narrower band of instructors can make a living out of martial arts, so they set up their own association or school local to where they live. Other life pressures such as children may also be factor. So we are left with half dozen very senior instructors, all from a very narrow base of clubs, locations and social demographics. Now naturally they will need to be replaced, but just how representative will their replacements be? Seems to me that like many things, martial arts are driven by personality, and the endless schism within each school or art is caused by ego, personality, greed or animosity. This then gives space to cults, where a charismatic personality finds oxygen to lure in the weak, vulnerable, desperate, damaged and traumatised with a simple answer to everything for everyone if they would just listen to what they say. And do what they're told. That's the place where we see cults.
There is a wider subject here, you are right. What seems to be absent is some kind of list or mission statement that leaders have to abide to. A kind of personal checklist that underlines the importance of the shared enterprise, rather than the glorification of one person (or an elite). I read an interesting book about meritocracy, something I used to believe in, now I am not so sure. But there is a kind of meritocracy in martial arts systems. A bigger debate is needed.
Great thoughts on an important concept.
The idea of a cult, both in martial arts and in the wider world, is positively a spectrum, and I've seen many of the worst types of brainwash in jiu jitsu and in judo (to be fair, I don't think these arts are more prone to cult-like behavior, just more familiar to me). We actively police our culture to make sure no cults of personality are forming (they do anyway, but they can be addressed if you know they exist).
Finally (and probably most importantly), we owners don't act like we have all the answers. Our goal is to help students become creative wizards who can solve their own problems, not mindless robots who worship us and pay us every month.
I couldn't agree more. One of my continued themes is 'self-awareness', I reckon people automatically seem to think that they are 'self-aware' but I think it has to be subject to very personal rigorous review. The opposite (a kind of self-important righteousness) can easily sneak in. Also, an important antidote is the presence of a critical friend.
Great point. I am the easiest person for me to fool!
Great article and insights.
One of the main things I noticed in cult-like "dojos", is that the people who run it are threatened by talent, because they want to be the smartest person in the room at any cost, every time.
Conversely, humble sensei value talent and find fulfillment in helping it develop.
I am in total agreement. I think we should take pleasure in other people's success and enjoy working with real talent, instead of seeing as some kind of threat.