Kendo & Higher Education

[not-I]

Edo-period swordsmen were expected to supplement their training with arts & letters, and modern Kendo principles call for developing a well-rounded personality, which implies formal education.

When talking with some of the older kendoka from my dojo, i was surprised to learn that a good many of them had studied law and were practicing lawyers. Being a philosophy goofball myself, i accredited this to the sword of Justitia and to finding a regulated outlet for civilization's discontent.

Anyway, it got me thinking, and i decided to start a poll to see what the academic kendoka out there study or studied, and if there is any general trend. This is just out of curiosity, and please note that i don't think a college education necessarily makes you a better or smarter person (sometimes it seems to have the reverse effect).

The younger folks out there who plan to go to college can fill in their intended major.

Have fun.

[Flashman]

Overachiever:

Ph.D. Anatomy
M.D.
J.D. :confused2

[not-I]

Oops, Flashman, i should have allowed multiple-choice for academaniacs like you. :wink:

Well, in cases like that, please choose the study that is most closely related to your current profession.

[GBN]

Physics degree. Haven't used it in 10 years. :)

Brian

[Neil Gendzwill]

EE but my career has morphed into software geekery.

[Ralutin]

I have a chemistry degree and am actually working as a chemist.

I've also noticed that a majority of the kendoka and iaidoka I've met have a strong academic background. I personally know of kendoka and iaidoka that are medical doctors and an iaidoka who's a Superior Court judge.

We samurai are a learned bunch...

[souljah]

mechanical eng. for bachelors and eng. business management for masters

[JSchmidt]

Nothing, although nowadays it's hard to get into my industry without a degree. (Either comp science, arts, or a combination)

Jakob

[DCPan]

Got a Master's Degree in Health Administration.

Decided to do something else after completing first year of medical school...:D

Ironically, my favorite class in college was Jane Austen. A close second was psychoanalysis & existentialism.

Kind of curious about law school, but don't think I can handle anymore school at the moment.

WOW Flashman, which order did you do those in? :D

[Hai_hai]

I think your poll is a bit generalized and limited, i.e. older kendoka from your dojo.

There was a past thread that found out that there were a good number of people in the computer field. One could make a hypothesis that kendo is for people who get burned out from work and need an outlet from reality.

[DCPan]

One could make a hypothesis that kendo is for people who get burned out from work and need an outlet from reality.

I thought they call that beer! :D

Besides, I think outlet from reality applies more to sci-fi/fantasy, RPG/CRPG, anime, etc....

To me practice is about being able to be "here and now".

:D

[Flashman]

Got a Master's Degree in Health Administration.

Decided to do something else after completing first year of medical school...:D

Ironically, my favorite class in college was Jane Austen. A close second was psychoanalysis & existentialism.

Kind of curious about law school, but don't think I can handle anymore school at the moment.

WOW Flashman, which order did you do those in? :D

Ph.D. 1972, M.D. 1974, J.D. 1988

Old guys do old guy kendo.

[Paikea]

Oceanography, 1987. Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of whatever you've got.

[Karaken]

BSEE and MSCS - let's not forget all those kendokas who don't know web or computer from their shinai. I think we had a thread discussing why so many computer techies practicing Kendo - conclusion was that we're on forum because our background - not necessarily more techies on Kendo track :-)

[Will]

the reason why so many techies are into kendo is because there is a high correlation between being a techie and dungeon and dragon hours logged. These d&d masters, usually at least a level 12 wizard, tend to take up kendo to supplement their dice throwing skillz...

[JamesB]

Bachelor in Computer Sciennce '95,
Bachelor in Political Science '03
Hopefully Master in Pol.Science '05 :smiley:

The last two I did (and am doing) in evening courses since I work fulltime as a systemadmin.

Too bad the university doesn't have a kendo team of its own...

[Yann]

I study commerce and will "specialize" into Tourism

[emitbrownne]

no high level ejucaton....
faled in life
me not study....

but yet here I am still the senior analyst programmer, working on a speech to text conversion program :)

Geek through and through...

Kendo is the macho opposite to my geekdom.

[tantadi]

I'd say that kendoka are wellarticulated, educated, and sometimes geeky. Especially compared to my karate training partners.

Media studies, and a Masters degree in History of Ideas.

[slidercrank]

I suppose the degree of analysis (of self and others, senseis, sempais, etc) required in improving one's kendo means that if one does well in kendo, then one's probably inclined to succeed in higher education as well.

[D'Artagnan]

Photography myself...

never really been one to go with the grain, career wise or martial arts wise.

I expect, however, that the reason the majority of votes were from computer users is not because there are more computer operators in kendo, but it is probably them that use the computer based Kendo world forum more (how many of us use the forum whilst at work???). In my experience i have seen very little evidence of 'general' occupations i Kendo, i know good kendoists, some are welders, bus drivers, computer operators, farmers, school teachers, goverment workers, car mechnanics, etc etc...

however, an interesting poll all the same...

[ben]

I agree D'artagnan. Something about the fact that we're all currently looking at an internet forum might have something to do with the high number of kendo-geeks in the poll. An interesting point too about when people look at KWF: I find when I'm freelancing (ie getting paid for my *output*) I don't have the time to fuck around on the net for anything other than actual work. OTOH when I'm in regular paid employment (ie getting paid for my *time*), KWF is a great way to skive.

BA and BA Hons in Fine Art. Currently studying Grad Dip in Education.

b

[Andoru]

Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law (Hons) 1999
Master of Commerce (2000)
PhD Finance (2005 I hope) :D

Almost took up medicine...but I'm glad I didn't.

[Will]

I'd say that kendoka are wellarticulated, educated, and sometimes geeky. Especially compared to my karate training partners.


Now that's one of the biggest generalizations I've ever heard that is completely unbased.
Maybe in comparison to your karate training partners that the kendoka you know are blahblah blah, but I think the first sentence is waaaay too broad.

[Valiant]

B. Architecture working on M. in Urban Design.
Currently working as an Architect.

[not-I]

Thanks for all the votes and replies to this poll. The techies are clearly leading this small sample with almost a third of the vote, followed by social sciences & business, and natural sciences. I should have made business & commerce a separate category, replacing theology, but in any case, it's clear there are a lot of science-types among us, as well as many wonderful theories about the prevalence of techs.

And speaking of science, i think tantadi's generalization was a simple case of false induction based on his/her experiences in this forum. :evolved:

[Niels]

the reason why so many techies are into kendo is because there is a high correlation between being a techie and dungeon and dragon hours logged. These d&d masters, usually at least a level 12 wizard, tend to take up kendo to supplement their dice throwing skillz...
Hey man.. i like D&D :devious: and if you got a problem with that ill let loose my Dire Turtle farmiliar on you *snort*

Graphical Design student here...

--Niels

[Wark 1978]

Film Studies BA 1997.

like many media studies graduates i have found that a degree in media studies doesn't really count for much and having a degree in film doesn't qualify me to work in film. still, i had to watch 4 films a week which was great fun. except the 4 hour feminist film on the day to day life of a housewife.

[JSchmidt]

^^^Experience is king in Film/TV industry..you can have a Phd, but you still have to start as a runner :)

Jakob

[webjunkie401]

Double major in History and Japanese checking in.

[miyamotomusashi]

im not yet but im aiming for a

Phd. Paleontology

im at a-level(in 6th form England) bio standard now