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.

[not-I]

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

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...

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?

[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!

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".

[Flashman]

Got a Master's Degree in Health Administration.

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

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?

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...