Why is DIR controversial?

[Diver Dennis]

The word "stroke" carries a lot of baggage, but it is not a word that has been banned on ScubaBoard. I personally don't think that the word should be banned although there are some that think it should. I do think that using the word in a serious manner is inflammatory, but there are a lot of things that can be taken in that way.

I just think it's wise to carefully chose one's words in a medium that remains as a permanent record. I also think that when someone posts in a way that insults others that the point is lost and that it does a disservice to one's own message.

Christian

I just wanted to clarify. I know some people on the board use it in a funny way and I have no problem with that because it is mocking those who might use it seriously. I was just referring to using it in the heat of an argument, which I have seen here, in an obviously insulting manner. I'm not offended but as I said, it just makes DIR look bad, at the expense of other DIR divers.

 

[Soggy]

The reason why DIR is so controversial is because people are too insecure and thin-skinned. It's just a name.

 

[cmalinowski]

Let me be perfectly clear here.
The question is "Why is DIR controversial?"
I have given you the answer, clear and simple.
You want to defend the confrontational nature of the term by talking about the soundness of the practices. That is a fallacious argument, for it isn't about the soundness of the practices*, it is about the arrogant elitism inherent in the words "doing it right" - or not.
By any logical measure, the choice of words creates mutually exclusive sets. If "DIR" means "doing it right" then "not DIR" means "not doing it right."
And that is why "DIR" is so controversial.
It is no more complicated than that.
If you insist on clinging to the meaning of the acronym, you are insisting on confrontation and controversy.
Rick

*FWIW, I don't have any major issues with the equipment, practices and procedures generally labeled "DIR." Indeed, when the term was coined we had already adopted many of the principles and practices ourselves. I have some very specific practices and procedures that are the right way to do things that aren't in that set. You want to tell me that's not doing it right then go ahead. But don't expect me to feel all warm and fuzzy and friendly when you do it.

If we're arguing what is wrong with the DIR acronym, then I will agree with the arguments that it can be construed as elitist. But if we are aguing what is wrong with DIR divers, then I think it ("doing it right") is truly the lamest argument out there.

Doing it right should be a goal of diving, not a particular way of diving... that is the gist of a quote from JJ. To think that he or anyone else can reference 20+ years of diving a particular way that had a label associtate to it by anything other than that label is pure fancy. While I believe that GUE is trying to do away with the "DIR" label as a future description of their diving, it is impossible to not use it when describing where your method of diving came from.

Chris

 

[Diver Dennis]

hey, you say it's elitist, i say it isn't

who's right?

this is much ado about nothing

if some dweeb wants to call himself "the Only good diver in the world"

shoot .. let him

i'd dive with him, see what gives ... if he has good things to offer, i'll learn from him, if not ... move on

i think it's odd how some people's egos react to that threat to their psyches

But it is not referring to some dweeb Andy, it is being used by a lot of divers who do things a certain way. It is also used by some internet divers to bolster THEIR ego...

 

[H2Andy]

But it is not referring to some dweeb Andy, it is being used by a lot of divers who do things a certain way. It is also used by some internet divers to bolster THEIR ego...

ok, a zillion dweebs can call themselves "God's Gift to Diving" and get militant on the internet and that would bother me about as much

really ... just because a group of people chose to call themselves something is no threat to me ...

specfically in terms of DIR, i heard about it, i checked it out, i found out the system had a lot of great things.

ultimately, i decided not to label myself "DIR" since i needed to do things differently, but i have great respect for the DIR system and implement about 90% of it. however, since i am not committed to the entire system, i do not call myself DIR.

it threatens me naught that i don't get to be called a DIR diver and that others do

i guess what i am saying is that you can take the name as an insult or as a learning opportunity... your choice

 

[Rick Murchison]

yes by George... this great wrong must be set right!

how dare the little urchins!



Rick, go ahead and tell me i'm not doing it right ... go ahead...

you will be astounded what an effect it will have!

Andy, Andy... if the term isn't controversial for you then it isn't controversial for you. But you would admit, would you not, that it is controversial in a great many places and to a great many people? That controversy is the subject of the OP's question, and the subject of my answer to that question. Protesting that you are not offended, and that others shouldn't be either, doesn't help answer the question, which (rightly) presupposes there is controversy surrounding "DIR."
But it's the same old thing...
Someone asks "why?"
We say "because."
And the faithful say "well, that shouldn't be; and if it is, it's your fault, not our fault!"
Which proves the "because."
But doesn't sway the faithful at all, so nothing gets accomplished.
It's also why we created this private sandbox, and why I generally don't visit.
Oh, well...
Rick (average diver)

 

[cmalinowski]

...But, in the sense of human nature, getting sick at one Olive Garden doesn't really entice you to want to visit others. Yes?

But if you eat at a place called "olive grove" that claims to be "Olive Garden" (and lets pretend there isn't a legal way out of it) and got sick, is it olive garden's fault? Olive garden could have a 100% healthy customer rate, yet you will go off and tell people that you got sick at olive garden. Do you see the difference?

Now, there can be a person who is a true DIR diver (trained and everything) who is a giant, elitist butthead. That has the same bearing on the rest of is as Olive Garden making you sick should have on your eating at any other restaraunt.

Chris

 

[H2Andy]

Rick, i am answering the question

my response is that it is controversial because people are so insecure

1. some people use DIR to bolster their ego and "prove" how good divers they are. if you are secure in your skills, you don't need to do this (99% of all DIR people i've met fall in this category)

2. some people react strongly to DIR because it is a threat to their ego and thus they have to "prove" how good divers they are. if you are secure in your skills, you aren't threatned by someone's choice of words to define their diving principle (most non-DIR divers don't really care; it's only a few non-DIR divers who have a problem with this).

the controversy is all in how you perceive the term, and how you perceive the term has to do with how secure you are in your skills

see what i mean?

it's only how a few people on either side take the term that makes it controversial. most of us go merrily along doing our own thing, with better things to worry about.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Nor a threat to me. I'm DIS, Doing It Solo, well most of the time. That could be construed as me saying I'm too good to dive with other divers, my way is better. I would probably get some flack if I said I was SIB, Solo is Best...

 

[H2Andy]

Nor a threat to me. I'm DIS, Doing It Solo, well most of the time. That could be construed as me saying I'm too good to dive with other divers, my way is better. I would probably get some flack if I said I was SIB, Solo is Best...

hey man, whatever works for you

why should i really be offended at what works best for you?

(thing is, i'd come diving with you to learn how you solo dive and learn a few things)

btw, i believe that under certain circumstances, SIB works!!

for example, alone in a boat dive with divers i haven't dived with before. SIB baby... SIB....