Why is DIR controversial?

[lamont]

I told my OW instructor that I was training to become a solo diver. He is heavily involved in the DIR philosophy, and had been trying to persuade me in the same direction. How do you think he responded? He hasn't responded, and probably never will.

What good will a response to you do for him if you've really made up your mind?

 

[ShallowDiverDave]

What good will a response to you do for him if you've really made up your mind?

Yeah, I understand your point made through the question, but it just "seemed" like he decided that I didn't exist anymore, due to my choice. The acquaintance was thus ended. But I'm not going to let my opinion of him effect my opinion of DIR folk as a whole. Mostly because I don't give a crap what people chose to do so long as they leave me alone in the process.

 

[CompuDude]

But if "DIR" means "doing it right" then you have already said they are not doing it right.
Which is it?
Does DIR mean "doing it right" or not?
Make up your mind.
To sit there and demand that everyone else understand that "DIR" means "doing it right" but "not DIR" doesn't mean "not doing it right" is ridiculous. You guys are off in la la land to think that makes any sense at all, and to fail to see that you're putting everyone else down by the use of the term is denial of almost pathological immensity.
Change the name or admit you're arrogant elitists. You can't have it both ways.
Rick

Then you really need to take it to JJ or GI3 and convince them to drop the term DIR. If they lead, we'll probably follow. I've already gone through my phase where I decided to stop identifying as 'DIR' diver on principle and instead identify as a GUE-trained diver precisely for the reasons that you've been all uptight about. After a round of tilting at windmills and I stopped and I've actually fallen so low I've stuck the dreaded TLA in my signature on this board. Get JJ to fix it if its so important because I can't...

If it helps any, my local GUE-instructor-in-training just told me that higher-ups at GUE are indeed trying to come up with an alternate term to use instead of DIR, due to this very controversy. That's why the organization is named GUE and not DIR International or something like that, among other things. The term DIR is already being deprecated, but no official alternative has been put forth yet. He is hardly at a point where he can make official announcements on behalf of GUE, but I have heard this echoed in other places including once or twice in this thread, so I tend to believe it is true.

The internet has a long memory, however, and habits are hard to break. I suspect the term DIR will continue to be used in both positive and negative ways for some time to come.

For me, it's a term. A three letter acronym that I rarely if ever expand to it's initials, because, as another wrote, it merely is a "single" word: "dee-aye-arr" which means "that team-based diving system that gets you ready for certain types of tech diving with a specific gear configuration originally developed for cave diving" in my mind. YMMV, but that's all it means to me.

I have yet to meet any DIR divers (or even DIR wannabes who have not passed DIR-F yet) who were not considerate and polite, although I certainly know they are out there. It bothers me that the group as a whole is viewed as elitist and arrogant because of past baggage and an acronym carrying unfortunate implications, intended or otherwise. I personally am powerless to change things, however... as is everyone involved in this thread, and to suggest that anyone involved should "Change the name or admit you're arrogant elitists" is DEFINITELY crossing a line into being closed minded and painting an entire group unfairly. There may be (and are) "bad apples" who are not the ideal proponents of the philosophy GUE teaches, but to make such a statement denigrates everyone involved, not just those "bad apples".

Note: I am not DIR, although my gear configuration is close. I doubt I will ever be a pure DIR diver, although I intend to take the training to learn more about it before coming to any final decision. (I was supposed to take it in November, in fact, but had to cancel after the first lecture due to a family emergency, and have rescheduled for the February class.)

 

[Hank49]

but that's not what he asked. he asked why is DIR controversial.

the statement that DIR practicioners are arrogant and elitists is your bias coming through. that's your belief.

a disinterested party would first seek to define several things:

1. what is meant by DIR?

2. what is meant by controversial?

3. is there any support for the statement that DIR (as defined) is in fact controversial (as defined)?

4. what does the evidence indicate is the reason for #3, should such be found? this is bound to be a theory (an explanation of the facts) and as such can never be proven, only disproven by further facts.

No wonder court cases can drag on forever.
I don't think Rick is saying that ALL people find the name arrogant. He's stating that the name is what does offend people that ARE offended. I agree with him and see no reason why it's upsetting pro dir people here. And it's usually asked by people who are first introduced to the name and don't know any dir divers or what it's about.

 

[headhunter]

I told my OW instructor that I was training to become a solo diver. He is heavily involved in the DIR philosophy, and had been trying to persuade me in the same direction. How do you think he responded? He hasn't responded, and probably never will.

I'm assuming that since you mention that the instructor was your open water instructor that he gave you a good overview of the tenets of DIR, but I may be wrong. I'm guessing that you already knew that solo diving did not fit into his philosophy of diving.

So when you told the instructor that you were training to become a solo diver, what would you have expected as a response?

Personally, I probably would have simply asked, "What made you decide to go that route?" I would have honestly been curious why you would choose to go that way, but would always respect your decision and right to do so.

I've known many divers over the years who dive solo and I have always felt that it's not something that I would choose to do. I still respect them and they respect me. I also dive with them when they're not going solo and some of them even conduct themselves as DIR divers who are a member of the team. If someone is not a danger to themselves or others when diving on the team, that's what matters to me. We also spend time on our surface intervals together and have plenty of fun.

Christian

 

[mania]

OK, couldn't read the whole thread but read most of it.
My conclusion is:
there is nothing controversial about DIR itself. It's only a matter of people.
And jerks are everywhere, in every community, diving agency and so on.
Any controversy is because of those jerks on all sides.

Mania

 

[namabiru]

Eek... I didn't mean to stir up trouble by asking my question. I apologize for that. But I do better understand the situation now, so thank you all.

 

[The Horn]

I think it is great that a training agency at the very least has members to "defend" or explain thier training. I don't think you would get the same "commitment" from other training agencies......................

 

[cmalinowski]

...Mostly because I don't give a crap what people chose to do so long as they leave me alone in the process.

It sounds leaving you alone is exactly what that person did and it seems that you indeed do give a crap.

Just out of curiosity, did you try and initiate any contact with him, or is it up to his elitist self to do it? And, if you did make up your mind, should he have begged you to move foward with DIR? Would that have made him less elitist? So if he would have begged you by arguing the pros of DIR, he would have been an elitist. Instead, he chose to not go that route and that made him... an elitist. You people crack me up.

Chris

 

[cmalinowski]

Eek... I didn't mean to stir up trouble by asking my question.

You didn't do anything that wouldn't have reared its head in due time. It's like the tides, it comes around and is pretty much the same each and every time. Sometimes it's a little stronger than others, but essentially the same

I apologize for that.

Don't worry. This is all cathartic in some strange way for people

But I do better understand the situation now, so thank you all.

Really? Can't imagine how that happened. But, good on ya if it's true.

Chris