The Name of the
Game
Medium Version
Starting from scratch, it doesn't matter how things are
called, what names or visual symbols they are
given.
After some time, say years, decades, centuries, special
associations and connotations are connected to each token. And that
is the point where naming and re-naming become a sensitive
matter.
For example, mentioning the word
"supercar", certain things come to mind, such as high speed,
acceleration, beauty, power, style, you name it. The
same applies to single marques and their
badges.
Now imagine if someone labeled a slow, dull,
boring, tinkered car with some established brand
name, put the respective emblem on it and tried to sell
it. What were the chances to get away with that
? How would customers, dealers, and manufacturers
react
?
Giving something new or modified an already existing name
or part of an already existing name is misleading unless there
is overwhelming overlap in essential
properties.
Consider another term, say "martial arts". Again,
certain things come to mind, such as dynamics, high speed, elaborate
techniques, timing, toughness, discipline, exactness, control, and
mental
power.
Again,
imagine if someone
put a martial art label
on some convenient, complacent, coddled,
opportunistic,
show-off, superficial, fun-generating, or
whatsoever improper behaviour and training
regime and tried to sell it. What were the
chances to ...
--- Oh no, wait, it is successfully done,
even common practice, at least in certain parts of this
planet.
Sensible language is based on reliable correlations
between symbols and content. Not sticking to such a simple
rule will contaminate the language and destroy its function to
describe, store, conserve, and transport information, concepts, and
ideas over space and time. First, the content will get diluted,
then it will be forgotten and finally become
extinct.
Consider yet another example, the common word
"master". It is used in different areas in everyday life.
If, for example, somebody is a certified car mechanic, one
expects that he got his diplomas for being able to repair
brakes and other stuff; and not because he is a nice guy, tried hard
but unsuccessfully, and paid some
fee.
It is the same when calling someone master in the
martial arts. Ranks, also the student ones, must not be
awarded because someone is useful or a nice person, helped
diligently, practised regularly but without success, paid some fee,
or will leave the club if not being
promoted.
On different scales it is the responsibility of martial
arts associations, examiners, and instructors to prevent and
counteract charlatanry and trademark
piracy.
Or rather, it should be. In
practice, more and more of those in charge fail, mainly on
purpose. Undeserved promotions are awarded by the score, for
popularity, favors, money, vanity, social pressure, and career
thinking. The results are rank inflation, lack of
orientation, and loss of
content.
Nowadays, the responsibility to navigate the world
of martial arts gets shifted from organizations and
teachers to the students themselves - and most of
them will be spoiled and
shipwreck.
In a
nutshell:
Selling glass pearls is not fraud, but selling
them as diamonds indeed
is.
© 2006 NED + SWV
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