Debunking Shotokan mythology. Shaking the JKA Olympus and felling our karate gods.
Hunt down the golden doe, the always elusive prey. Hack apart our sacred cows and break out the barbecue.
But when the gods have all been exposed and paraded through the streets as charlatans and frauds, when our myths are all lies, and when we have gorged ourselves at the barbecue, what will we do? Will we look over our bloated bellies at one another in shock, noticing in the faces of others around us a sick knowledge of what we have done while the last cynical laugh fades? Now what?
I have a Masters degree in Comparative Literature. That is supposed to make me somewhat literate, although frankly, by judging some of the writing on some of these web-pages you must shake your head in wonder.
Anyway, I have this degree, and to some extent, whether it be for better or worse, it has served me well. I was able to land the job I wanted at a Japanese university and now have time and energy to write, create, and do some of the work I have always dreamed of.
This degree has also permitted me the opportunity to learn about literary theory under some of the greatest thinkers in Comparative Literature. Two of my professors were Professor Milan Dimic and Professor E.D. Blodgett. Professor Blodgett was also kind enough to be my graduate thesis advisor. Elsewhere in this site you can read the thesis I wrote on the images of the warrior in both medieval Europe and Japan. It's cheaper than novocaine and a cure for insomnia. Enjoy.
Despite my growing irreverence for the university process, professor mentality in general, and the grotesque lies of future fame and glory promised to undergraduates in academic arenas, there are still many things worth study and consideration. Literature is a wondrous and beautiful mirror to hold against the world and has been a great teacher for me over the years.
There are problems, both inside and out the university and one of the primary concerns of traditionally minded literature professors is the insidious tendency of poststructuralistic theory, also known more commonly as deconstructionalism, in approaches to understanding, reading, and interpreting classic literature.
But deconstruction has its place too. We need to question and ask, "Why?" We need to challenge and disbelieve things we are told and taught. We need to learn how to think, how to grow, how to become self-sufficient, and how to evaluate and discern things for ourselves. Questioning is an undeniable necessity for the human spirit. We need to reach out beyond ourselves, imagine, daydream, and to be creative.
But blind criticism, even when craftily constructed, has no benefit to anyone. A great surgeon may be able to remove the arms and legs of a human being with excellent care and precision but the act itself, although nicely done, is still the act of a butcher.
A common mistake in a deconstructuralist approach to classic literature, especially medieval literature, is to impose a modern sense of morality, a modern concept of political propriety, and modern modes of discourse on a literature that reflects a society that had none of those things. It is like looking back on ancient court life of China or Japan and saying things like, "Well, the regular citizens should have just spoken up and demanded that they start holding democratized elections, and right away dammit."
No. That is wrong. Dead wrong.
In those days, as well as in those cultures, such an idea is as alien as if the Martians came down from space and started to exclaim in amazement how stupid, backwards, and out of touch with reality we are right now in our present-day societies. Our ideas of what is "right" and "wrong" are inappropriate for understanding how things worked in cultures and situations far outside our own experiences. Yes, of course there are things which are over-all "right", like protecting children, caring for old people, and searching the land to find excellent coffee shops. But there are still many things that are gray, unknowable, and largely inaccessible to us in a direct way.
Let's talk about karate and the contemporary trend of debunking and deconstructing our marvelous martial art. As you may already guess, I have some serious concerns about these trends and hope that you will let me share some thoughts about it with you.
Shotokan karate is a martial art which is larger than any one person. It has many great elements to it. It has flaws as well. It has people who are considered "masters" by many. It has people who are considered "masters" by themselves. It is a craft which many people feel passionately about. It is something which some people feel should be utterly destroyed because it is thought to be evil and corrupting. It is something which others feel is significant, important, ennobling, and worth improving.
For a long time, Shotokan karate has been taught and established as a hierarchical structure, specifically a structure based on Japanese modes of organization. Over time, with the proliferation of karate associations over the past few decades this mode of organization has been understood both as a cultural expression of the Japanese instructors who exported the art overseas from Japan, as well as a necessary template to insure that karate is taught and practiced "traditionally".
As students progressed in karate, and slowly mastered its fundamentals, a growing sense of unhappiness developed between Japanese instructors and master students. The Japanese instructors, misunderstanding North American and European cultures, and either not knowing or not caring that their organizational modes could not long be tolerated by their non-Japanese students, neglected to adapt their methods of teaching and fostering proper transplantations of karate overseas to non-Japanese environments.
It was only a matter of time until the student would no longer let himself be treated as only a student. Master students began to demand to be treated with some sense of equality.
We have seen more than a few palace coups. These things are not necessarily so bad. Great nations have been forged from the fires of revolution. We may be in a version of such revolution in the Shotokan world. Liberty has a aphrodisiac sweetness to it, and the human heart needs to free. Gichin Funakoshi said so himself.
There have been massive cracks and breaks all over Shotokan karate worldwide. Some for better, many smaller breaks, however, have been for worse. And we still have karate revolutionaries who have no home still setting the countryside aflame in the message that they are "freeing" people from the chains of oppression in karate organizations.
These are our modern-day Shotokan karate deconstructionalists.
The karate deconstructionalist tells us that karate organizations exist for the sole purpose of fleecing their gullible, mentally imbalanced students. They assert that karate is not only bad exercise, but that it is too damaging to the human body to be really worth pursuing at all. They point at "revered" former karate masters and joke and tell us censoriously how stupid those men were, how flawed they were, and how hopelessly such men were out of touch with reality. They expend massive amounts of energy telling people how wrong karate is, how they are right, how other instructors are wrong, and that new students to karate should save themselves a lifetime of weal and woe and do something other than pursue this martial art.
We have been told that Nakayama was a bad guy, that Okazaki and Nishiyama have bilked the karate masses out of millions of dollars. Insider reports from national organizations have told us that there is corruption that goes right to the top.
Ironically, they rightfully insist that democratized nations reject Japanese cultural impositions, yet wrongfully demand that all things not of democratized nations be dismissed and destroyed. They close their minds and claim they are open to discuss issues and opinions yet construct modes of discussion where all participants are not treated equally. A previously honored sense of democracy is instead exchanged for dictatorships. And all of this in the supposed "best interest" of the unknowing karate student who has not yet set foot on the dojo floor.
Personally, I think that although many seemingly mean well, a sense of cynicism has so corrupted their initially correct deconstructionalist approaches to some of the myths and folklore of karate that their advice is best ignored overall. It makes me angry when I hear some of these gentlemen state with no small amount of pleasure that they have successfully dissuaded someone from starting or pursuing karate in earnest. I think that they have cheated someone out of a tremendous gift, and have stolen from the quality of the students' potential future.
We need to change things in karate, but that will always be a work in progress. We need to approach issues surrounding karate leadership and governance with great trepidation, but also with purpose to improve an increasingly impoverished state. We need talented women and men to step forward and to volunteer to work cooperatively and collaboratively towards these ends. We also need to continue to work to make our mutual task a work of joy, and to continuously work in positive regards towards one another.
Of course people should be free to speak their minds. Of course there should be debate, although personally I don't find "heated debate" to be of particular value, but that might just be me. Nonetheless, we need to have a society of karate-ka who can share experiences and expertise, to challenge one another to expand and grow our craft, and to push it to the next level of excellence. I am, in no way, an advocate of silencing anyone. We need more free and thoughtful discourse on all matters pertaining to karate but such things are best done respectfully, patiently, kindly, and with high regard to the intrinsic value in the humanity of the other person we are discussing and debating with.
Deconstruction does not build. It questions absolutely everything until there is nothing left to question. It even questions the existence of questions. It is the cancer that eventually eats itself, a clever weapon for a clever mule who never knew he was carrying one of the world's deadliest viruses.
Of course ask questions. But also question the inquisitors. Ask yourself what is behind the questions and question the intentions of those who hound you with questions and doubts.
Karate is not a form of misguided attempts at psychological therapy, but rather, an activity designed to liberate the human condition of feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness.
There is no science in this statement. Only belief. And although scientifically un- provable, it is as true as anything else I know.
There will always be people who will try to get between you and your goals and dreams. Deny them the opportunity to influence you too directly. Get information. Study, learn, discuss, argue, and most importantly, listen.
As always, wishing you the best in your training and in your journey of learning more and more about yourself in our tremendous martial art, karate.
Mark Groenewold
Ishikawa-ken, Japan
July 2001
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