2006-10-12 04:02:15 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Martial Arts
It can do, but it isn't gauranteed. Several factors influence the influence martial arts will have in a person's life.
- Dedication to training. If you don't train regularly and with commitment, training will make no real difference. If you do, it can't help but influence the kind of person you are.
- The attitude of the student. If you train to beat people up, martial arts will not make you a better person. If you train to resolve conflict and stay safe, it might.
- The attitude of the teacher. If you train in a school which emphasizes a kill-kill-kill mentality, well, you're not likely to get much character development out of it. But if the school never teaches discipline, responsibility and personal ethics it's just as bad.
- The art itself. There are arts which really do emphasize personal development and there are others where it's not inherent in the art. That isn't to say the right teacher can't bring a personal development perspective to one of the latter arts, but some arts simply can't be taught without that aspect.
- What else you're doing in your life. No matter what you learn in the dojo, if you head out into your daily life and choose to behave badly your training will not help. Ultimately, whether or not your training helps you to be a better person is up to you.
2006-10-12 05:44:22 · answer #1 · answered by mriehle 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It Depends.
As both Spidertiger and Michael Rihele said they have had by far the two best answers.
first on your own personality. You have to be receptive enough for it, especialy in Traditional Martial Arts have a code of ethics and rules that students are expected to follow in regards to the instructor(s), fellow students, the school, their uniform, and how they should conduct themselves outside the school as well, much like the military does for boot camp.
secondly, how much you dedicate yourself to your training, because it's like learning how to walk all over again, so you basically have to throw out everything you knew before, if you don't go into it with a willing attitude to learn, then you'll only add more problems for yourself.
and finally the instructor(s), if they have a poor attitude or treat the Martial Art as a competitive sport unfortunately ends up developing an attitude towards only the physical side of the Martial Arts, and also passes that attitude on to the students.
but with the right attitude, and the proper instruction, one can consider that the Martial Arts can and does help being a good human being.
2006-10-12 10:44:02 · answer #2 · answered by quiksilver8676 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Traditional martial arts usually have a code of ethics for the students. This certainly teaches a person right from wrong.
So, hypothetically a system is in place that allows a person to know right from wrong. The problem is that who is enforcing this stuff? A person is mostly on the honor system so no one is checking to see if they are following the rules, but we have the same problem with all codes of ethics.
If a person attends a martial art class regularly then I would bet money that they are a good person. My logic is this, people that tend to be cheaters, beaters, thieves, thugs, drug dealers and other riff-raff tend not to commit to things like this. They are usually out running the streets or bars. In short, the personalities that have commitment qualities are usually good people.
2006-10-12 05:19:18 · answer #3 · answered by spidertiger440 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No, but it does help focus some of the hostility someone may have. People are people. If the person is a low-life scum bag, teaching him martial arts will not help. A person has to WANT to change. It's all about if the person wants to change and be a 'better person'. Martial arts is nothing more than a path. What that person does with that path and what that person makes of the opportunity is all within his own control.
2006-10-12 05:23:48 · answer #4 · answered by JuJitsu_Fan 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think that being a "good" human is something that is learned from the sum of ones experiences in life. A good person to one might differ from someone elses opinion. I think that martial arts gives you a set of rules and guidelines to follow which deffinatly contribute.
2006-10-12 04:46:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. Martial arts are like any other skill. Does learning to play guitar make you a good human bieng?
Does learning to read?
Learning to paint?
Learning to hit little old ladies with bottle rockets at 50 yards away?
No, its a skill like any other. It is simply the art of fighting. How you use it depends on you. You can still be a jackhole or a nice person regardless. Nothing MAKES you be a certain way. People are drawn to certain activities because of thier preferences and personalities.
2006-10-12 05:51:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't think it depends as much on the martial art as it does with the person. Now, some schools may stress respect/responsibility... with the younger students, and this may help, but it's eventually up to the student. Any organized activities can help people to be better, but ultimately it would depend on each individual case.
2006-10-12 04:30:42 · answer #7 · answered by Brian D 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Interesting question.....there would be different definitions of a "good" human being.
I would think martial arts helps one to be confident and physically fit, generally good qualities....but you may just as well gain those things through Yoga, without the linkage to conflict.
2006-10-12 04:08:16 · answer #8 · answered by kozmo 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you are studying a true, traditional martial art, the answer is a very definite YES. If you are studying 1 of the "new", "modern", "sport" styles, the answer is a definite NO.
2006-10-12 04:29:06 · answer #9 · answered by yupchagee 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not necessarily, because people could use martial art in a hurtful negative way or a positive way.
2006-10-12 04:04:20 · answer #10 · answered by horrorfan 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋