In a point-counterpoint discussi

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In a point-counterpoint discussion, TKDTutor presents points made by another author and then either presents points that agree with the author's points or presents counterpoints that point out what, in his opinion, are errors, inconsistencies, illogic, or even falsehoods that appear in the author's points. If you agree with the author's original points, you may not agree with TKDTutor's counterpoints, but they may at least cause you to rethink your position. Feel free to submit your agreement with my counterpoints or to submit your own counters to my counterpoints. The author's original points are shown in 'black text'; TKDTutor's points and counterpoints are shown in 'rust text'.

I welcome you to submit counters to my counterpoints

As a master chief in the Navy, I was responsible for writing performance evaluations on sailors under my command. I once had a sailor complain to me because his evaluation was not as good as that of a fellow sailor. He said that the other sailor had made many more mistakes than he had made. I agreed. I told him that other sailor had made more mistakes. However, I told him that the other sailor did twice as much as he did and that the other sailor corrected his mistakes and learned from them; while, on the other hand, he had little opportunity to make any mistakes since he seldom did anything.

I write a lot about the martial arts. I think I get it right most of the time, but I sometimes get it wrong. When shown the error in my thinking, I correct it.

Before you can criticize me, you must pay me

If I want to learn your art, I have no problem in paying you to teach me, but why should I pay for your martial art class, book, video, seminar, etc. and make you richer before I may criticize your philosophies, concepts, beliefs, or martial art. If I learn about your philosophies, concepts, beliefs, or martial art for free, why do I need have to pay you before I may comment on them? No “master” or “organization” seems to mind if you praise them without paying, however, if you criticize them, these same people think you should pay them first.

It is similar to an author who says he has found a common household item that, unbeknownst to parents, is killing thousands of children every year. If you want to know what the item is, then buy his book, otherwise he does not care how many children die.

Martial art “masters” and “organizations” sell books, videos, and home study courses that they say will permit you to learn and perfect all their special techniques. Apparently, they think a person may learn their art from a book, video, or home study course. However, when someone criticizes the “masters” or “organizations,” their defense is that you have to meet them in person or experience one of their classes in person before you may know enough about them to criticize them. Well! Which is it? If I may pay you and learn your art from a book, video, or home study course without ever seeing you or taking one of your live classes, then why is it that can I not criticize you for what information I may find for free without ever meeting you or attending one of your classes?

I find information that is put out by a “master” or “organization,” evaluate the information, and then present my opinion of what I have found to the martial arts community. If a “masters” or “organizations” cannot justify their philosophies, concepts, beliefs, and techniques without someone paying them first, then they must have something to hide, and it is not some trade secret know only to their “founder.”

Some say, you cannot criticize or even comment on a "master" or a martial art unless you have trained in that art with that master. The premise is that, after training with the master, your perceptions of the master and the art will change and that you too will believe what they are teaching. Not everyone falls under the spell of charismatic "masters." That is why most have so few followers.

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