The "S" Word

[Ben_ca]

It is really one of the tenets of Technical diving (well, Rule #1 is) Most folks will dive with anyone on a reef dive, but as soon as you start talking about overheads, people get pretty picky as to their dive buddies, and rightly so.

Thoughts?

Mark

I think that Rule #1 is very important... That being said I have and still do dive with non DIR guys... mainely to introduce them to the system. These are done at the bunny slope locations (Breakwater, our local dive training spot).

While I will dive with the non dir guys I wouldn't classify them as Strokes. I will not dive with strokes. If the person's attitude is dangerous I will refuse to dive with him. A simple chat will tell you if he is a suitable buddy or not.

Should we use the word? I don't see why not.

 

[SDAnderson]

It's the "N" word of the dive world. It's a sharp put-down and it's use in public qualifies as a "fighting" word. It only serves to inflame and has no place in polite discourse. Ever.

 

[Caver95]

http://www.pina3.net/dive/gi.htm

Thats really good too.

 

[lamont]

My thought ... I think that word, and the person who originated it, have done more to damage the DIR image ... and negate what DIR could constructively offer to the recreational diver ... than anything else possibly could.

To my concern, I have another "S" word that could be applied to Mr. Irvine ... "sociopath". He may be a great diver, and a nice guy in person ... but his mommy really needs to take his keyboard away from him.

I run George through a filter. The filter is that he's being such an ******* because he doesn't want to see his friends and dive buddies dying. It seems that he doesn't accept the "if you cave dive, your friends will die" mentality lying down and runs around and yells and screams about stuff to try to make people think about what they're doing. If you run him through that filter, he's got a lot to offer DIR.

That's my theory on how to explain George, anyway, and I think he's far from sociopathic... He just takes abrasive to the next level...

To my concern, whatever the term was meant to mean, it has taken on an entirely different meaning ... and demeaning ... in Internet discourse.

yup.

It has no place on ScubaBoard.

agreed.

 

[El Orans]

While I will dive with the non dir guys I wouldn't classify them as Strokes. I will not dive with strokes. If the person's attitude is dangerous I will refuse to dive with him. A simple chat will tell you if he is a suitable buddy or not.

Should we use the word? I don't see why not.

Agreed.

 

[Ben_ca]

I run George through a filter. The filter is that he's being such an ******* because he doesn't want to see his friends and dive buddies dying. It seems that he doesn't accept the "if you cave dive, your friends will die" mentality lying down and runs around and yells and screams about stuff to try to make people think about what they're doing. If you run him through that filter, he's got a lot to offer DIR.

IMHO A stroke is more dangerous than an unsafe diver.... A stroke doesn't know/think he is unsafe. So let's call it what it is.... This combined with an unsafe attittude is what rule # 1 is trying to avoid.

Political correctness and trying to not to hurt other's feelings is fine... But nothing hurts more than having to recover your buddies and having to explaine to his wife what happened.

Like what Lamont was saying that mentality that this is a dangerous sport and that there will be deaths apply to OW too. IIf GI wants to call me an idiot and tells me that if I dive the way I dive I'm asking for it... I'll listen. If he says there's a better/safer way to dive I'm all for it. The mindset of the last one up wins and 500 psi be back on the boat just don't cut it for me.

It would also help the discussion if people would state if they are DIR, DIR trained minded ect.... Non DIR guys are obviously going to be on the No side since they think they are the ones being referenced

 

[DennisS]

There's Team Stroke over on rec.scuba. DIR LITE seems to be their style.

 

[BabyDuck]

rick, you forgot my favorite, 'stroketastic'. thank you doc intrepid for that one.

ok, i actually think it's funny. i know the sting it's supposed to have, and i'm sure if someone truly meant it about me i'd be hurt. but on the whole, it's a joke to me. obviously. every time my instructor sees the slap strap he says 'that's a strong statement, girl!' and shakes his head, but i laugh about it.

planning on the koolaid next year.

and i think the two terms are equally funny. any comments on the koolaid?

 

[TheRedHead]

I run George through a filter. The filter is that he's being such an ******* because he doesn't want to see his friends and dive buddies dying. It seems that he doesn't accept the "if you cave dive, your friends will die" mentality lying down and runs around and yells and screams about stuff to try to make people think about what they're doing. If you run him through that filter, he's got a lot to offer DIR.

I enjoyed his brief articles on decompression. His style doesn't make my eyes glaze over nor do I nod off as I tend to do reading the more lengthy articles. Even though I am a Stroke (I dive with computers and detest Jetfins), I have incorporated his very slow ascent strategy into my diving. I stop for a minute at 40, 30, 20 and 10 feet when ascending. It does make me feel better. I sometimes noticed profound fatigue after making long, deep, repetitive dives in Cozumel which ceased after adopting this strategy. I make my computer's stop at 15 feet and add the extra stops on top of that. It works for me.

I can't tell whether he's a sociopath (without a conscious). On the one hand, he bullies everyone about making diving safer; but on the other, he's so arrogant that I can't discern if his motive is caring about other people or self-aggrandizement.

 

[lamont]

and i think the two terms are equally funny. any comments on the koolaid?

I talk about koolaid with reference to the management style at my work a lot more than i joke around about the DIR koolaid with diving. And at work "drinking the koolaid" does seem to involve losing your soul...

"Smoking crack" is another very non-PC term that gets used at work a lot as well...