Movies have influenced many young persons and gave them the desire to learn martial arts, me included. In some societies, martial arts learning is compulsory. A subculture entails a cultural group in a region that has its own interests and differs from those of different cultures. A martial arts subculture, therefore, is a culture that has major interests in martial arts. There exists a large difference between martial arts and martial arts culture. As a result, some of the actions and beliefs that are in the martial arts culture are absent in martial arts. In this paper, we shall look at the differences between martial arts and martial arts culture, martial arts as a culture (Kevin 285).
One of the best ways to show the difference between martial arts and martial arts culture is by giving an example of learning and school or country and government. This shows that one example is linked with a larger concept than the other is. Therefore, the martial arts subculture is the larger concept in this case due to the fact that it entails the actions of the organization and attitudes but not just martial arts as sport. The martial arts subculture has social, ethnic, and economic and other traits that are unique enough to differentiate it from other people of the society. Some of the distinctive include features such as; unique language patterns, unique traditions, unique dressing code, unique behaviors and customs, a common theme, and specialized literature, gear and materials (Kevin 288).
The unique dress of the martial arts subculture involves such as the academy shirts that identify an individual as a member of a certain subculture in all public places. Other identifications that are unique to martial arts culture include tattoos, wall pictures, jackets, caps, and even key fobs. The unique languages patterns that are associated with the members of a certain martial arts subculture include use of terms that are either foreign, or unique and only known to the member of the subculture. The unique traditions of the martial arts subcultures include such as the homegrown ceremonies at school or at home. The most important traits that are present in almost all martial arts subcultures include their unique customs and behaviors tart they use to address their own people. Resources that keep these members updated on their culture include such as magazines, TV and radio shows, and equipments that are subjects of the culture. Finally, these subcultures also have a unifying theme, for instance in china, most of the martial arts subculture members who are cowboys usually have livestock, the Goths usually have unique clothing and listens to specific types of music to name but a few (Jane 123).
Generally, martial art is a field filled with so much controversy. This sport is more than the acquisition of the mystic and deadly fighting and self-defense skills. The main roots of martial arts are in the East, the martial arts business has strong links with the western capitalism. It is therefore important to remember that, in the business perspective, the martial arts schools have the main objective of making a profit. It is therefore, vital to note that martial art training is a service business. Let us look at the questionable behaviors, fantasies behaviors, fads, and practices that are questionable in the martial arts culture (Jane 86). A lot of such behaviors take on different connotations when viewed at a different perspective like the customer satisfaction, marketing, business, psychology or social conduct. As a result, there tends to be a lot of activities that go on under the name of martial arts.
The subculture of martial arts insists on training their members the sport of martial arts for the main purpose of self-defense and self-discipline. Through the learning of martial arts, the community members are able to learn skills in self-defense, keeping fit while at the same time gain confidence in how to handle different situations. As a result, there have been developments of commercialized martial arts school all over the world. This helps in the creation of job opportunities for the martial arts instructor, in addition to technical self-defense, the members are taught other skills such as how to control one temper, and most importantly about respect. There are cults in the martial arts culture that need to be adhered to on a serious note. In some incidences, these cults happen to be behaviors of precise martial art groups that go past the genuine martial arts business practices and results to cults that are a times dangerous to the society at large. These cults in most cases offer the assurance of teaching its members the ultimate self-defense and fighting skills, this entails training its members in ancient warrior traditions, learning fighting that is based on the based on the reality of a real enemy and that of self-defense. The culture of Martial arts has some very specific ways of doing business that are strongly attributed by their discipline and meditation of the body and soul (John 45).
Works cited.
John Corcoran. The Martial Arts Companion: Culture, History, and Enlightenment. London: Diane Publishers, 1992. Print
Kevin Latham. Pop Culture China: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle. Oxford: Wiley Publishers, 2007. Print.
Jane Atwood. Capoeira: A Martial Art and a Cultural Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. Print.
