Arrogance and humility among divers

[The Chairman]

In the particular conversation I was mentioning, the student was implying that their choice was better and that they had more status than the other student but they in fact had not done any of the program. Just checked a box on a form.

Fair enough, but I knew professors who felt it was their God given duty to squash those hopes, aspirations and any semblance of self worth out of premeds. Such was Dr John F Baxter who taught Chem101 at UFlorida, which every premed had to pass, but only about 20% were going to get through. Dr John was rather proud of that statistic and in my humble opinion he should have been ashamed of it. If he had taught the class, rather than expect us to learn it on our own the others could have probably made it and even done well. I did great and was one of only 2 "A"s that first quarter, but then I had awesome Chem I and Chem II instructors in High School as well as was working as a student lab tech in one of the P-Chem labs. I was a chem major, but I was certainly rethinking things after 3 quarters of Dr John. As bad as that was, Organic Chem was worse and for pretty much the same reason. The professors abhorred people taking chemistry who didn't see it as a profession. You think the DIR/anti-DIR skirmishes in here are bad? Working in a P-Chem lab, I was anathema to the Organic chemists. Holy Schniekies that was brutal. Not desiring to deal with the politics, I changed to being a Russian Major instead and felt at peace with the universe again. Sure, I might have 'over reacted', but it's the same thing I find happening in the Scuba world. It goes like this: "I you don't dive the way I do with the gear I use, you're stupid". Dive, let dive and post about it on ScubaBoard is my motto! One of them, anyway!

 

[Wookie]

I have a friend who is the NAUI rep for Hawaii. She was on the WKPP, dove with GI3 and is a NAUI IT. Most assuredly not a stroke. She was bounced from her fundies class. Her instructor said "No one passes the first fundies class". I guess it's a thing.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

The only time in my life I've ever been told that my diving "isn't up to our standards" was by members of the local GUE dive club. Oddly, they were recruiting my students to come join their club at the time. To be fair, the club was subsequently taken over by a different set of members who apologized and told me I'd be welcomed anytime. But by then my interests were in other directions (they wouldn't have understood my love for solo diving) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I had someone ask me if I was a DIR diver once, probably because of my long hose and backplate. I told them I love solo diving too much to be DIR. They gave me a puzzled look and walked away.

 

[Hoag]

The most arrogant divers I meet, are the photographers with big expensive cameras. Always looking down on people that just have a normal one, thinking they are new divers, that they will be in their way, stir up the sand, make it impossible for them to make the money shot. Sometimes I feel like going and just do that then... Be in their way the whole time...

Wow! Just WOW! I don't know where to start. First of all, your sweeping generalization displays a significant amount of arrogance on your part especially your desire to deliberately ruin it for those trying to take a picture.

As someone who seldom dives without a camera, I find your comment so far off base that I feel that they need to be addressed. Underwater photography is very difficult and often extremely frustrating. Without exception, I have found that the people you refer to as "photographers with big expensive cameras" will always take the time to try to help those who are just starting to take pictures underwater. We are always willing to share what techniques work for us and what we have found as less than ideal techniques. (The two most common pieces of advice that I give are "try to get below your subject and to shoot up at it" and "light behaves differently underwater, try to get as close as you can to your subject to let the strobes be the most effective".) If on a LOB, or back at the hotel, if the person has downloaded their images on to their computer, I am willing to take all the time they want to discuss editing and post production or even what they could have done differently when they took the picture to have maybe improved the outcome. Granted, I will seldom give unsolicited advice, but if somebody asks me a question, I will do whatever I can to try to help them improve and to get a shot that they will be proud of. I love it when somebody (no matter what camera they have) comes up to me after a dive and says "Look at this shot! I think I nailed it!"

I also realize that if there is something cool to see, that I may be there for a while trying to get "the shot". Therefore, I will normally wait till everybody else has seen whatever it is and I will go last. Quite often that means that I will be there longer than expected because while I was calmly waiting till others had seen whatever it was, some POS kicked up a the silt just so I can't get a half decent shot.

On those rare occasions where I happen to find something first, I will always try to get somebody else over so that I can share what I found with others. It really is no fun if I am the only one who sees something.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I had someone ask me if I was a DIR diver once, probably because of my long hose and backplate. I told them I love solo diving too much to be DIR. They gave me a puzzled look and walked away.

My dear friend TSandM used to express worry about my solo diving habit ... we both always figured that if one of us was going to die in a scuba accident it would be me ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[The Chairman]

Bonaire, 2005
Philippines, 2016

... and it was a blast both times ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I was being facetious. But I think you knew that.

 

[The Chairman]

I have found the best way to deal with arrogance or any other 'fault' is to clearly see it in yourself first. Say what? You don't think you suffer from that? All of us do to one degree or another. Once you can see it in yourself, then you can have empathy for others. Self centeredness, selfishness, arrogance and more are all closely related and are usually a cry for help. The worst offenders usually can't see it in themselves. Let that sink in for a moment. Don't try to pick the speck out of your brother's eye if you have a plank in your own.

 

[diver0008]

I definitely have an ego. Who doesn't? I'll be glad to tell you that I'm the owner of ScubaBoard at the earliest possible point, that I've been diving since 1969 and hundreds of other dive stories. Show me that you're interested and I can literally keep on going for hours. I've dived a lot. So has Bob. So have a lot of people. Indicate that you aren't that interested and I shut up.

However, reading some of these passages makes me cringe. They do. I'm honest with myself and try to be honest with everyone else. But, I'm fairly proud of what I've done, how long I've done it and how I've evolved my diving. I'm also honest enough to admit my faults and share my stupid diving stories as well.

I'm a social being. I love sharing and I love listening. I love typing and I love reading. I love teaching and I love learning. Do I stack the deck in order to appear to have a better SAC rate? Sure. Do I give fist bumps for being the first in/last out? Guilty! Do I always try to one up the guy I'm talking to? I really try not to. Though most of the time, it would be pretty easy to do as I've been stupid lucky when it comes to diving... and that mostly because of ScubaBoard and not me. I'm probably more lucky than arrogant and I'm not afraid to admit that either.

My goal in diving is simple: Have fun. I even call my second rule of diving the "Rule of Fun: You can call a dive at any time for any reason with no questions asked and no repercussions." Making a game out my SAC is part of the fun. Don't like it? Don't dive with me. Quietly discussing another diver's horrible trim is going to happen. Don't expect me to approach you about it unless you ask me. Dive and let dive is my motto. What's important to me, may not be important to you, but it's still important to me. I even make sure my students learn to judge other divers on the boat and in the water as a part of their survival strategy. Of course, I tell them to keep it between them and their dive buddy. No need to stick your nose where it's not wanted.

So no, I'm not perfect and don't pretend to be. Like a sweet potato, I yam who I yam. I certainly hope we get to dive together like I have with a few of you (including @Murky Waters and @NWGratefulDiver), and I certainly want to hear about your diving experiences. Got the tude that everyone should be diving your way? I'm probably going to disappoint you. Let's just go and have some fun.

I've been around you several times diving, Pete, everything you describe about yourself above, to me, is simply passion. It's the condescending attitude I think that turns people off, and is the root of this thread. Of that you seem to bear no guilt and warrant no defense.

 

[stuartv]

Wow! Just WOW!

Wow is right. She didn't say all photographers are arrogant. She said the most arrogant divers she's met have been photographers. She stated a fact of her personal experience. How do you refute that?

And I didn't get the impression she was talking about purposely silting out every photographer she meets. Just the ones who act like pr*cks.

 

[diver0008]

Wow is right. She didn't say all photographers are arrogant. She said the most arrogant divers she's met have been photographers. She stated a fact of her personal experience. How do you refute that?

And I didn't get the impression she was talking about purposely silting out every photographer she meets. Just the ones who act like pr*cks.

It seems to be quite fashionable these days to take things personally.