An article on Steven Franz’ blog gave me something to think about. Why do people still want the colorful belts, when these people already know that they get ripped off and the colorful belts mean nothing not only because the martial arts teach humbleness but rather because these colorful belts are scams and really prove nothing because they aren’t earned? Do really so many people have huge amounts of surplus money, of which they have to get rid somehow?

I already knew that there is an inflation in belts in the martial arts. I witnessed the introduction of an exam for the white belt in karate, while I simply had mine when I bought a karategi (空手衣). When I later learnt yōshinkan-aikidō, I passed two white belt exams and three yellow belt exams! But only the emphasis was different. Aikidō had more exams for the lower belts, while karate had more exams for above green belt level. Two for the blue belt, which even didn’t exist in aikidō, and three for the brown belt. This somehow never made me want to pass more belt exams. The introduction of the white belt exam and the existence of multiple belts of the same color made me suspect that the whole thing was meant to rip me off. I now know this for sure and think it was the correct decision to comply with this tradition only to my first blue belt. And to my third yellow belt in aikidō because I had heard that advanced stuff would only be taught to higher ranks and so worried that I’d have to prove my rank some day. But this never happened and, with exception of the masters of my lineage, I don’t know aikidōka, who would know more advanced stuff than I. (And by the way also not any karateka!)

Superficial things don’t matter to me. A karategi (空手衣) surely should be as a sign of respect kept white and clean. But I consider whether a stain is from blood and sweat, which only proves dedication and hard work, or from coffee. I certainly never complain about people, who work hard. But if people nowadays prefer to pay for superficiality and don’t even care about the real thing, then no instructor could run a dōjō while sharing my attitude.