I enjoy GUE bashing as much as the next guy but come on...
Individual outspoken GUE divers...maybe, but the organization as a whole? I'm calling BS
DIR- GUE What does GUE mindset mean?
- Thread starter LordHavoc
- Start date
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I enjoy GUE bashing as much as the next guy but come on...
Individual outspoken GUE divers...maybe, but the organization as a whole? I'm calling BS
Ignore him or report it--I'm not going to bother. If I were to rephrase his jab, I would say "the rules are the rules" not because of how the rules of the dive came into being but because the team agrees on them. Rules can change over time, and some can be changed from dive to dive if agreed upon. People can't be expected to function together as a team without rules.
It can only be assumed you have no GUE training as your comments reek of the typical bs people spout that they heard from a friend of a friend about GUE. When I first learned to cave dive I was stupid and listened to everyone who said GUE is a cult. 12 years later I'm redoing training because I want to learn from great instructors and fill in the gaps from some of my other cave classes, and just generally improve myself.
That idea arises from the fact that GUE does have some hard fast rules for things such as gear. Its because they're trying to keep every student on the same path so any student can be a positive team member. A great example is can light on the left hand. People with zero GUE training see that as too stringent and unnecessary. There are multiple reasons for left hand light such as not blinding during donation, to keep the long hose free, and to allow for the eventual transition to a dpv. I always had my light on my right hand for many many years. An instructor showed me in real world scenarios why it could create a problem. I was still hesitant, but when I moved to a dpv I realized it would've been a little easier had I just learned to put my light on my left hand from the get go.
Theres no GUE overlord watching over everything you do. I dive solo from time to time. My instructors know it. Nobody's reported me to a tribunal for my eventual eradication. Hell even if they did pull my card for openly saying I dive solo every once in a while, who cares. I've still received exceptional training and other GUE divers would still dive with me.
The OP was asking a serious question. People love to jump on the lets hate on GUE bandwagon cause they think they'll get scubaboard cool guy status. Maybe keep the comments to yourselves since all it does is detract from people who are actually interested in learning. GUE is not the only way. Its exceptional training, but there really isn't any KoolAid.
It's a lot of this: 
Having a solid set of procedures and checklist is what allows successful improvisation. That's the whole basis of the thinking diver. Standardize as much as possible so everyone has a shared mental model when you find yourself needing to improv.
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GUE bashing stems from backlash to the vocal few that touted GUE as the end all be all to diving.
Both of these statements are accurate. I know the stories of the "glory days" and I understand how it can jade people's opinions. It did mine. But as lorenzoid said that was many, many years ago. I've been cave diving for about 13 years give or take and even then I would hear all of the stories about GUE and believed it, but then I'd meet GUE divers that what were some of the nicest people and excellent divers. Point is, most of it is now hearsay just like it was when I first learned to cave dive. Sadly it was a small minority that really had a negative impact on people's view of GUE. But now its just people with no first hand knowledge spouting things that either are now inaccurate or never were accurate to begin with. GUE is really trying its hardest to change that view of the agency. It is nothing like it was.
Eventhough it may seem opposite, I really could care less if people think GUE is a big cult of a-hole divers. What annoys me is the people who spout off complete inaccuracies or things they heard from a friend of a friend, which is why I respond to these threads. I've never understood people who choose to believe what they hear or form opinions without experiencing them first hand. I would prefer to learn the reality firsthand as opposed to blindly listen to what detractors say.
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