Where did all the psycho karate killers come from and where did they go?
.
Karate used to have a oriental mystique to it and it used to be associated in popular thought with fanatical trained killers under the tenuous psychic control of their mysterious deadly sensei. Karate had a bad reputation; no parent would dare let their kid do karate for fear it might turn them into a crazed killer. This reputation had slipped greatly but was still hanging on as late as the mid-1980's when I started Taekwando. I actually had older people warn me about how dangerous that "crazy Jap crap" was.
.
But now, in the post-UFC era, karate is a barely even a stifled joke among the BJJ and MMA and reality-based self-defense people.
- "LOL! WTH! Krotty sux! MMA Rulez!
- "You take karate? My 6-year old nephew is a black belt too!"
- "Oh yeah, I heard they're making a new karate kid movie."
- "Hey! I used to do Tae-Bo, but now I'm trying P90X Kenpo! (Let me sell you this carrot juice protien smoothie!)"
Sure, karate didn't deserve the bad rap, but at least it had respect. What happened and what would it take to regain the respect without the bad reputation?
____________
Patrick Parker is a Christian, husband, father, martial arts teacher, Program Director for a Cardiac Rehab, and a Ph.D. Contact: mokurendojo@gmail.com or phone 601.248.7282 木蓮
____________
Subscribe now for free updates from Mokuren Dojo
____________
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.