Sure, but so too is Rescue, so the pragmatic question is that from the perspective of a diver who's shown a Rescue card, just how much more 'proficiency' does a Master card really mean?
Since specializations can vary so widely, we can't be assured of their content, so the answer must be: "Not Much". That's IMO where the popular cynicism comes from where the poster is that the Master is merely a demonstration of a willingness to buy a 'useless' product.
No, the answer is 'it depends' which goes for any certification in anything. The idea that is nothing more than a willingness to buy a useless product is obviously false unless you are referring to only the award itself, and not the journey that led to the award. I highly doubt the op was asking whether he should pay for the card after completing the requirements. Rather, he was asking about whether he should pursue the training that leads to the certification.
I agree that this is a "It Depends", but I'm just taking a different tact in how it is applied. We've seen the Master card defended from the perspective of the Dive Pro trying to assess a new/unknown diver, where the cards that diver presents helps the DM to formulate an opinion (risk assessment). My point is that the appropriately conservative approach is to use the Lowest Common Denominator, which means that the Pro can't really assume anything from a Master carder other than another customer with a Rescue card. That's the context and why I asked: "Okay, but how much more than Rescue? Not Much."
And to -hh, I just don't care for 7 mil wetsuits and 5' viz just to put another page in logbook. I can show you all the rusted out Vdubs you want to see without being 130' in the quarry. Might even find one that's drivable. Not hatin, just sayin
Oh, I very much understand. This is recreational diving, not commercial or law enforcement or military, so if it isn't providing some measure of 'fun', then it begs the question of why bother. And of course, what one considers 'fun' is also up to individual interpretation: some folks collect cards, whereas other folks will enjoy going out into that cold quarry with liftbags to play a game of "Hide the VW" with their other dive buddies and so forth.
I'm not really sure why some people are so emotional about the issue of MSD rating.
Here in 'PADI Asia-Pacific' land, the card has been free for the last few years. I see that as a nice 'thank you' gift from PADI.. and it defeats all the 'put another dollar in' arguments related to the qualification.
IMO, having it be free is a great idea for PADI-Asia...you're right it counters the "Put Another Dollar" cynicism. Of course it would be nicer still if it was worldwide.
What does the diver get out of it? Well, apart from any personal satisfaction they may get from the merit badge "status"...they get an extra certification card that proves they possess a minimum of experience (50 dives),
along with rescue diver training and several weeks worth of progressive training beyond OW level....Maybe some people take issue because of the name. If it were called "Loyal PADI Diver", or "Sports Diver".. or any other name without the word "Master" in it, then I think there wouldn't be so much mockery of it. To be honest, I don't think that many people who carry that card place much emphasis on the word "Master"... they know where they stand... and probably better and more realistically than the majority of divers who haven't been as contentious about their scuba education...
Yes, I do think that a strong element of the pushback comes from the "Grade Inflation" of Agency-based names for AOW & Master...to try to suggest some level of 'status' from a whopping 50 dives is a race to the bottom.
When I see scornful posts by minimally qualified divers, who are boastful about their experience alone, I can't help but think what bad habits and sloppy procedures might exist. There is a place for experience. There is also a place for self-learning and development. There is also a critical place for taught education. All three components are vital in ensuring effective progressive development.
Well said, but the problem is that PADI is the Big Dog Agency, and they've promoted a system based essentially only on the 'taught' part, since PADI doesn't offer products such as a Century (100 dives) card: the net result is that while diver development is a stool with three legs, the social value that is espoused prevents two of those legs from being recognized, leaving only the "taught education" one.
I shouldn't imagine the OP is still bothering to read this . . .
I think you've probably figured out that "Master Diver", in the PADI system, is shorthand for someone who has completed a certain collection of classes. It's like having a Bachelor's degree indicate that you have earned so many college credits, and completed the requirements of a major. Like a college degree, the value of a "Master Diver" rating depends a great deal on the value of the classes that make it up. Unlike a college degree, you have to pay extra to get the Master Diver card, even though you have completed, and paid for all the classes and cards that lead up to it. This is one of the sources of disdain of the card, that it extracts another $35 or so from the diver, just for the piece of plastic that forms the summary.
The other group that disdains the card, disdains the quality of the training that makes up the required classes. And there is room for criticism -- some classes are taught to the bare minimum, and aren't worth much. Some instructors pass anyone who pays the class fee, regardless of their level of accomplishment, or lack thereof. This is why the card itself isn't worth very much, because the people looking at it aren't sure if you took some good, solid classes with lots of content and solid standards, or whether your boat dive specialty consisted of surviving two dives off a boat (as mine did!).
It is never a bad thing to see out more training and more information. Even if it's pretty skimpy training, you will almost certainly take away a thing or two to apply to your own diving (and sometimes that might be what you DON'T want to do!). Whether it's worth paying for a specific summary card or not is entirely up to you. I think you have gathered that the card does not enjoy much widespread respect.
Since some people like College analogies, consider the following perspective employee job interview:
A) "So, do you have a Bachelor's Degree (in Field X)?"
B) "Yes, I graduated in 2002 with a 3.5 GPA"
A) "3.5? Very good! And do you also have your Master's Degree too?"
B) "No, don't have one".
A) "No? Tsk, tsk. So what have you been doing for the past ten years? Are you at least part way to your Masters Degree?"
B) "I've been very busy working fulltime at Company Y, applying my Bachelor's Degree (in Field X) on many projects."
A) "Oh, you've been
working? That's too bad ... we don't care about relevant Work Experience. Goodbye!"
Now (and hyperbola aside), do we really think that such company would really remain in business for long in the real world? Of course not.
-hh
PS: what might be somewhat fun & entertaining is to have some brass/enamel pins (badges) made up that are for milestones - - similar idea to the Century / Millennium Cards, but is instead based on bottom time:
- A day's worth of BT (24 hrs)
- A week's worth (168 hours)
- A month (730 hours)
- A year...
etc
