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McDojo? Is Karate Quality basied on Lineage
Posted by: John W. Zimmer
Under: karate
21 Dec 2012
21 Dec 2012
This is kind of a Catholic vs Protestant argument that still goes on for some reason. What am I talking about? You know – If a school opens up in a strip mall for profit – many of the purists (read traditionalist Karate Ka) will smirk and wonder if the “McDojo” can trace its roots back to the old country (Read Japan or Okinawa). Traditionalists like to recite their lineage to prove their black belt is meaningful.
This is like the Catholics (disclaimer – I am a Catholic) or Orthodox Churches argument of Apostolic Succession (meaning they can trace their bishops back to Christ’s apostles. The thing about having an unbroken line of succession the church (or in the case of this post – karate lineage) is a valid church (or karate style).
The above lineage or succession validity based solely on an unbroken line makes no difference (argued by the new karate styles and Protestant religions). In this post I will evaluate the karate arguments both pro and con but would like to point out my position that old does not mean it is better the new (although it can be). New does not mean it is better than the old (although it can be). My only criteria is what works. Anything else is meaningless to me. Read on if you want to expanded version.
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