Gym Jones: In Defense of Elitism
As if it requires defending.
Gym Jones is exclusive. We exclude. It is not a question of elitism vs. egalitarianism because there can be no question; the black belt is elite, the white belt is not. The black belt is earned through long, difficult work, rigorous education, commitment, and persistence. Not everyone gets a black belt. It’s not T-Ball. We invite athletes of a certain temperament and ability to train here because they foster the environment we prefer. It is difficult to improve while training exclusively with less capable practitioners. Talented athletes surround themselves with others of a similar or higher caliber - both mental and physical - and improve by doing so.
The parallel motive has to do with choosing who we want to spend our limited time with: why would we open our arms to any and everyone?
Parallels should be drawn to education. White belt teachers vs. black belts. Grade teachers, reward them when they become better than they were. According to The Atlantic (via @marksbirch), schools are rolling out grades for teachers.
How do you think we can we give a higher bar worth earning for education professionals? (beyond degrees of their own, those show ‘learning’ more than 'ability to teach.’)
