The T-Shirt     Hi, X. That's a nice T-shirt you are wearing.   Yes, I've got it for free at our big event, and it didn't cost a thing.   Didn't cost a thing ?!  -  There X is mistaken.     The Bill   The big event could take place here because your club has many members on paper and because there are many helpers.   This speaks in favour of the club.   Not in this case. In order to rake in so many people, ranks were given away like freebies by the score. Furthermore, all essential things which might be displeasing were discarded.   Ranks given away ? Mine too ? And the other students' - actually, this is, well, ...   Exactly, this is fraud. For many years you have been regularly cheated and lied to with full intent.   By whom ?   By the club president, by examiners, by martial arts associations, and by those knowing better and still joining in.   Why do they do such things ?   There are different reasons. They want to become popular and be adored as masters. There is also the greed for power and money. And many are just the usual followers.   But *** has several dan grades. That ought not be possible at all.   Today, black belt ranks are often as worthless as student ranks. The club president received his dan grades because over many years he fed the national *** association with many paying members, and he was also of use at various other occasions. This is one of the main reasons why the big event finally took place here.    But he is always such a nice guy.   Yes, illusions are always pleasant. Truth is often not so convenient.   What does this mean for us ?   Have a look at this monitor. It shows some very special images.   Looks like a fictitious real training session. Oh, two people are just sparring each other, and one of them is really getting worked over. Actually, these guys look familiar.   Yes, it's you. You are both of them. The one being beaten up is you how you are today. The other one is you how you would be today if you had been training in a genuine dojo.   But I thought I had become better and better over time. Didn't anyone of the others notice anything ?   If you are always moving in a closed, cushy world, there is no proper comparison, and many things go unnoticed. Let's have a look how it would be in an authentic dojo.   Most people have lower ranks, but they are better than today. Just now one of them has been hit quite hard. But he isn't complaining at all.   Karate.   Many members of our club are not there. That's right. They left.   Why ?   Because they were not cuddled and also didn't get undeserved ranks.   By the way, where is our current club president ?   Somewhere in the fourth row, where he belongs.   :-)     Let's go back to reality and have a glance at the future.   Well, that's not looking promising at all. People there are performing quite badly. Seems that I don't take part any more. And there is this instructor with the black belt; lucky me that I don't have to train with him.   The instructor is you.   But why is it I still do not master it properly ? After all, I really do practice a lot.   You just didn't learn it better. You were again and again given higher ranks without decisive progress. After some time they tied around you a long piece of black fabric.   I think I have to go now.    See you, X -- and take good care of your T-shirt. It did cost you a lot.     © 2005 TDI