Call me Sensei
I usually bristle when my seniors refer to me as "Jamie Sensei." There is no need for them to. Perhaps, in some cases, I am chronologically older than they are. Perhaps I have trained longer than some. However, neither is a case for them to refer to me as 'sensei.' I am sure they are trying to pay me a compliment, but given their position and skill level, I would be more comfortable with them referring to me or calling me "Jamie-san."
Every once in a while, I am reminded of just how much of an ego-feed the martial arts can be for some. The biggest offenders, in my mind, are those who address themselves by a title. It reminds me at best of self-absorbed folks, such as some academics I have met. At worst, they end up being a illeistic, insecure caricature - think a martial version of Seinfeld's "Jimmy." Martial artists should not have to rely on titles to impress their peers or subordinates.
You see, the term sensei is roughly translated as 'the one who came (or was born) before.' It is a term of respect for one who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art, be it painting, flower design, music, martial arts, etc. It is no more correct to refer to oneself as sensei anymore than it is for one to use the suffix -san at the end of their name.
So, when someone introduces themselves as "Sensei X" or expresses themselves using the word, it is not only ignorant, it is inappropriate.
Think I am on my high horse? Not at all. Allow me to illustrate a point: pay an Okinawan or a Japanese person a compliment, Their natural response will be to deny. It is not that they doth protest too much. They are denying it out of modesty. They appreciate the sign and show of respect that you give them, but their cultural character is not one to accept compliments lightly.
Thus, referring to oneself as sensei is also showing huge signs of arrogance - this, in their culture is a huge, HUGE "dame dame." (dah-may dah-may)
But, the Japanese are wise to us westerners. They recognize our need for ego-stroking and title-bearing. The term is now often a punchline, a sarcastic joke to refer to those who feel the need to be sycophantically addressed as such. In our part of the world, a similar way to look at how it is perceived would be to imagine it being said with dripping sarcasm and scare quotes being applied as it is uttered. I would prefer to think that is not the case for my seniors when they address me as such; and if such is the case, I perhaps need to look at how I conduct myself and work on my humility a tad more.
Of late, I have found folk who adorn themselves with titles that they could not have received by honest means, given both their rank and age. But since many western-spawned martial arts orgs (eg created by some white guy who holds no direct relationship or rank from a recognized body) often hand out rank and titles like candy, anything is possible. Yet, if one is allowing oneself to receive such a title without any consideration for what it actually means, I would daresay that they are not on a proper martial path and that the ego has not only landed, but it is in the midst of conducting a full-scale invasion.
Run away. Quickly. Now.
In my correspondence and in my dealings with publics or other martial artists, I avoid using the term Sensei when referring to myself. It is not that I think I am better and smarter than they are by not using it. Rather, I feel no need to use it. I am who I am. I know what my rank is. I know what my position is within my dojo and within my organization. When in the midst of other instructors, of equal, lesser or same rank, I will refer to them by their first or last name, depending on the relationship. To refer to people who are not your teacher as 'sensei' is equally silly, somewhat like this goofy and awkward sequence - now watch it again; this time substitute the word sensei for the word doctor and you get my point. I have a small cohort of people who I will refer to as Sensei when I am speaking to them directly as they are my current teachers in my relationship within my ryuha. When I am in the company of a peer and am adressing subordinates, I may refer to that peer as "sensei Y" because they are, not of my dojo, but of their own. They are qualified to have that title, thusly, I will be considerate and ensure that they are known as such by those who could learn something from them. I will not address them as sensei since that relationship does not exist between us.
So, words to the wise: if your business cards, dojo scrolls, grading certificates, personal Facebook page or anything else refers to you as Sensei, it may be time to do some rewriting and modification. Humility in the dojo starts with the person in the front. And if they cannot lead by example, not only may they earn the sarcastic connotation of the title, perhaps they haven't truly earned the honor that goes with the real title.
Every once in a while, I am reminded of just how much of an ego-feed the martial arts can be for some. The biggest offenders, in my mind, are those who address themselves by a title. It reminds me at best of self-absorbed folks, such as some academics I have met. At worst, they end up being a illeistic, insecure caricature - think a martial version of Seinfeld's "Jimmy." Martial artists should not have to rely on titles to impress their peers or subordinates.
You see, the term sensei is roughly translated as 'the one who came (or was born) before.' It is a term of respect for one who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art, be it painting, flower design, music, martial arts, etc. It is no more correct to refer to oneself as sensei anymore than it is for one to use the suffix -san at the end of their name.
So, when someone introduces themselves as "Sensei X" or expresses themselves using the word, it is not only ignorant, it is inappropriate.
Think I am on my high horse? Not at all. Allow me to illustrate a point: pay an Okinawan or a Japanese person a compliment, Their natural response will be to deny. It is not that they doth protest too much. They are denying it out of modesty. They appreciate the sign and show of respect that you give them, but their cultural character is not one to accept compliments lightly.
Thus, referring to oneself as sensei is also showing huge signs of arrogance - this, in their culture is a huge, HUGE "dame dame." (dah-may dah-may)
But, the Japanese are wise to us westerners. They recognize our need for ego-stroking and title-bearing. The term is now often a punchline, a sarcastic joke to refer to those who feel the need to be sycophantically addressed as such. In our part of the world, a similar way to look at how it is perceived would be to imagine it being said with dripping sarcasm and scare quotes being applied as it is uttered. I would prefer to think that is not the case for my seniors when they address me as such; and if such is the case, I perhaps need to look at how I conduct myself and work on my humility a tad more.
Of late, I have found folk who adorn themselves with titles that they could not have received by honest means, given both their rank and age. But since many western-spawned martial arts orgs (eg created by some white guy who holds no direct relationship or rank from a recognized body) often hand out rank and titles like candy, anything is possible. Yet, if one is allowing oneself to receive such a title without any consideration for what it actually means, I would daresay that they are not on a proper martial path and that the ego has not only landed, but it is in the midst of conducting a full-scale invasion.
Run away. Quickly. Now.
In my correspondence and in my dealings with publics or other martial artists, I avoid using the term Sensei when referring to myself. It is not that I think I am better and smarter than they are by not using it. Rather, I feel no need to use it. I am who I am. I know what my rank is. I know what my position is within my dojo and within my organization. When in the midst of other instructors, of equal, lesser or same rank, I will refer to them by their first or last name, depending on the relationship. To refer to people who are not your teacher as 'sensei' is equally silly, somewhat like this goofy and awkward sequence - now watch it again; this time substitute the word sensei for the word doctor and you get my point. I have a small cohort of people who I will refer to as Sensei when I am speaking to them directly as they are my current teachers in my relationship within my ryuha. When I am in the company of a peer and am adressing subordinates, I may refer to that peer as "sensei Y" because they are, not of my dojo, but of their own. They are qualified to have that title, thusly, I will be considerate and ensure that they are known as such by those who could learn something from them. I will not address them as sensei since that relationship does not exist between us.
So, words to the wise: if your business cards, dojo scrolls, grading certificates, personal Facebook page or anything else refers to you as Sensei, it may be time to do some rewriting and modification. Humility in the dojo starts with the person in the front. And if they cannot lead by example, not only may they earn the sarcastic connotation of the title, perhaps they haven't truly earned the honor that goes with the real title.
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(and that's with no irony)