Josh F

How many times have you heard your friend say “Well, I have a black belt.” when you’re having an argument? Personally I’ve heard that excuse too many times. When really it’s not that impressive. It only took me 6^1/2 years to get 4 black belts. Having a black belt is not an impressive feat in the slightest it can take 2 months to get a Black belt if you pay attention and train. Anyway, it still is nothing worth bragging about, so why do people do it?

Why do I feel so strongly you may ask? Well it’s been an annoyance too me for years because of the saying popularity, primarily within the community around me. It gets on your nerves. Even my family has picked up the saying. Also people around you start abusing your pet peeve once you tell it to them so it gets even more annoying in time, and as the use of the term increases. People can’t understand when people are annoyed.

For example, over the summer one of my friends acquired his First black belt, and was extremely excited about it. I congratulated him. Then, jokingly, asked if he wanted to spar.

He said, ”Well I have a Black Belt so I’m gonna win!”

I replied angrily with “Oh Really?”

“Yeah”

“We will see about that”

Then we fought for about 10 minutes swinging and kicking as hard as we could. With each hard hit the other flinched with the pain from the blow, but determination, pride, and the will to win pushed both of us past the limit. In the end we were both bruised and even bloodied in some places, but we did determined the first to hit the ground lost. I won the fight just out of knowledge of the sport and experience. He was nothing close to happy. Sweating and panting, red in the face he screamed insults and yelled profanity then ran away. Turned out he was just angry and hated being beat, but I was genuinely worried I had lost a friend. TO me this story represents both the use of the term and my reaction to it. Also it proves that even the little things will tear you apart if you’re not careful.

 So you may be asking what the whole point of this story was, well I’s really a tribute to the random things that annoy people, but also it’s a calling to stop saying you have a black belt, even if you do, because it really means nothing, it’s a pointless symbol of patience and listening more than fighting, so stop using it like it gives you power. Maybe just don’t fight people. That usually works, or maybe fight it out without the threats or use a different one instead. Just don’t give yourself the illusion of fake miniscule power.