Bitterness of Scuba Instructors

[nolatom]

The (alleged) "bitterness" some instructors express on the board doesn't match what I've seen in real life from instructors I've been taught by, or met on boats and other places.

What we read here from (some) instructors reminds me of an interview I read about once with an experienced pro bicycle racer, who was complaining about the (difficult) Paris-Roubaix race, how the cobblestones killed your crotch and are treacherous for bikehandling, your fellow riders are discourteous and underhanded, the weather sucks, it's dangerous, long, you don't even have time to take a leak, etc, etc.. He was then asked "well, why don't you just not enter then?, and he gave a disbelieving look and answered, "because it's the Paris-Roubaix race, it's the best, how could you not do it?"

Maybe they just like bitching to each other, but are good to their students, even *those* students.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Until I started participating on the Scuba Board forum, I was unaware that there was this pervasive bitterness on the part of scuba instructors toward their students.

There seems to be hostility toward incompetence, a sort of arrogance, among many of the posters here. Most of the instructors on this forum are as nice as could be, but many seem to have a certain resentment or hostility, for some reason.

Any idea where this comes from?

I wonder if it has to do with their clientele making more money than they do. I understand that scuba instruction is not very well compensated, whereas the expenses associated with scuba diving make it a sport more likely to be practiced by those with comfortable incomes.

I see more personality issues with doctors than dive instructors.

I understand that doctors are very well compensated, certainly better than most of their "clientele", perhaps their arrogance and shortness with patients has something to do with their comfortable incomes?

 

[Max Speed]

I don't believe a word of this. All scuba instructors have to be polite cuz their students carry knives.

 

[lowviz]

-Yo, friend (DD), don't bait me. I promised a really nice mod I'd behave. On that note, I'm forever gone from this thread.

 

[k ellis]

Having sat and listened I think there is a whole magnitude of things that cause instructors to be grumpy. Its not really any one thing. Ive heard from people who feel like they are worth WAY more then the going rate and as a result they sit on the sideline unwilling to adapt to the market and are waiting for someone to come along willing to pay a rediculous amount. For example here in my area one can become a dive master start to finish for just about 900 - 1,000 dollars. Not bad when you consider the same cert would run you 2,000 or more most every where else I have been. Instructors here are happy to be teaching and really dont gripe about it or at least openly any way.

Now you read the board and there are those that use the old saying time is valuable and believe that teaching one class should land them a warm water vacation for a week any where in the world. Those are the ones I notice gripe more then anything because they just cant see that the world is changing in everything including diving. People want food on their table and lights on in their homes for this reason there will always be someone willing to take a smaller pay then the next guy so he can at least have some sort of income to pay bills. The result is as a price war erupts there becomes what is known as professional jealousy. The older crew instead of trying to compete looks for dirt on the guys charging less and try to run them out of business. This in turn causes the lower paid to resent the older instructor as vice versa.

Diving although is a sport its unlike other sports in that there is no competition. No one is looking to make millions by having the longest bottom time. No one is looking to make millions by signing autographed cards of themselves. Its a relaxing sport in which no one diver should view themselves as better divers then others. It should be less experienced learn from more experienced divers and the more experienced divers should be helpful and willing to mentor new divers.

 

[SDAnderson]

Teaching (for those of us that care) can be very stressful. Heck, kinda like doctoring, we even get an occasional life or death situation. The vagaries of teaching guppies how to survive and enjoy mortal peril without, you know, actually killing themselves means that pretty much all of us need to blow off a little steam from time to time. The problem may be that you've come to one of the places some of us go to vent and are listening to - or actually participating in - the big kids conversation. Not fair to you, perhaps, but if you're going to swing with the cool kids an occasional swirly is probably to be expected. Sucks, a little, but there you have it.

 

[drrich2]

I understand that doctors are very well compensated...

I don't want to fuel a tangent, but I can hardly let that go without some follow-up.

Around 4 years college typically emphasizing demanding natural sciences curricula, needing a GPA 3.5+ to have a credible shot at (but no guarantee with) medical school, 4 hard years with no income & racking up a very large debt, then 3 - 5 years specialty training with low pay, then finally getting out to start making 'good' money in your late 20's (unless you're a non-traditional) in an occupation with at times big stakes, knowing most every doc. has patients who die sooner or later, and at some point you're probably going to wonder whether something you did or didn't do had anything to do with a debt; juries & malpractice attorney's may wonder, too. And while there are Physicians who make a lot of money, some of the primary care folks like Family Practice physicians aren't amongst them, and if you add up their sheer hour loads, workload, responsibility level, the importance/stakes of the work, and then spread that income over all those years where they got no pay (or low) & borrowed money, & deduct the debt + interest...

Then compare that to what a college student of similar ability, work ethic & drive might well have made getting an MBA or an Engineering degree, perhaps, and working with that.

Over the long haul, the Physician may well come out ahead. But I'm here to tell you, that's one LONG haul...

Medical schools are taking applications though!

Richard.

 

[mathauck0814]

I think the frustration has more to do with the poor instruction, not with the students. I generally feel badly for divers who struggle when I'm on a charter boat with them. The consumer largely doesn't know the difference until it's too late and they realize how unprepared they are to dive on their own after certification.

I'm not an instructor, but I did work for a summer as a DM. The only time I've ever felt any angst towards another diver was when they willfully did not want help and couldn't look beyond their egos to improve as divers.

 

[falcon125]

Matt, Have you been drinking? Or are you just narc'ed?
Seriously I have to ask "do you frequent other internet forums? Cause these guy's are pussy cats.

Any group is gonna give the new guy some hazing and a little sarcasm and ridicule is to be expected. (weeds out the uptight people)

As far as the money thing, you might have noticed that the United States is going through a "Class war" for the past 3 years. Back in the 70's I was on the other side and wanted to "Eat the rich" But now I would like to keep what I rightfully earned over the past 30 some odd years and them occupy young'un's can get a dang job.

Please, try to lighten up. Its only scuba after all.:mooner:

 

[buddhasummer]

Until I started participating on the Scuba Board forum, I was unaware that there was this pervasive bitterness on the part of scuba instructors toward their students.

There seems to be hostility toward incompetence, a sort of arrogance, among many of the posters here. Most of the instructors on this forum are as nice as could be, but many seem to have a certain resentment or hostility, for some reason.

Any idea where this comes from?

I wonder if it has to do with their clientele making more money than they do. I understand that scuba instruction is not very well compensated, whereas the expenses associated with scuba diving make it a sport more likely to be practiced by those with comfortable incomes.

Seems a little strong.

I guess I must be hanging out in the wrong forums, I've been a member for over 5 years and can't say that I've encountered this to any great extent.