Role Models     The teacher says:   "It is not correct this way." The student says:   "Grandmaster X performs it this way." The teacher says:   "This is not good." The student says:   "Grandmaster Y makes it like this." The teacher says:   "This is wrong." The student says:   "Grandmaster Z does it all the time."    Both of them are right. But if you assemble the wrinkles of fashion model A, the crow's feet of model B, the bulimia of model C, the cellulite of model D, and the pimples on the buttocks of model E, then you will not come up with a supermodel but with the bride of Frankenstein. Combining the flaws, shortcomings, pecularities, and whatsoever of  6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Dan grades will not result in a 10th Dan but in a 10th Kyu.     Nobody is perfect, and often the high quality of things derives from the bigger picture. It is very detrimental if role models are misused to gloss over or justify one's own faults. Role models are useful if one picks off their good qualities or if they are considered as a whole.   © 2003 TDI