A request to the "new" DIR advocates

This is a plea to the recent proliferation of DIR proponents that have joined this list as a result of the challenge on the Quest list. While I very much appreciate your enthusiasm and your desire to reach a wide audience about the benefits of DIR, I really want to emphasis that a select few of you are going about it in a completely, 100%, wrong way. As I noted in an earlier post, each and every list has it’s own personality, it’s own temperament, it’s own skill level, it’s own knowledge level, and it’s own understanding, commitment and appreciation of DIR.. That being said, this list, absent an intangible minority, is open minded, non-judgmental and willing to listen to a reasoned approach..

While for certain I recognize the rough and tumble approach on the tech list, the DIR preference on the Quest list, the abject joke on rec.scuba and so forth, my request to the recent subscriber’s to this list is, in George’s infamous words: “ Take the cotton out of your ears, and put it in your mouth.” Until you have been around a while on this list, until you appreciate and recognize that the vast majority of this list is open-minded and willing to listen to a reasoned voice, please shut up!!! Take the time to understand that many on this list don’t know much about DIR, take the time to appreciate that many on this list have heard little about DIR, and then most importantly take the time to appreciate that rather then calling them “farm animal stupid” or “ strokes”, if your real goal is to help educate then listen to what they say, appreciate that they don’t know how or why what we do.. And if your true goal is to help, then answer questions and stop posturing.. I’m as DIR as anyone, but you recent additions to list are embarrassing even me.

Consider, that if you think you are representing us that many may very well perceive you as representing us, and act accordingly..

Thanks

Michael Kane
GUE Instructor # 5027

You serve your organization and causes well by being respectful and forthcoming with your responses and others would do well to take your example. I am glad you are a part of our community.

Chad

Hear! Hear! Mr. Kane....

Maybe you aren't so bad after all. When I saw you at Gilboa during Demo Days I thought...."Gawd, another DIR fanatic to put up with....and I thought I only had to listen to this when I'm in cave country". I am full cave trained and have dived with divers from GUE, NACD, IANTD and NSS and have to admit there is a "turf" war...that's for sure. I prefer to choose my instructors by their experience and not the alphabet they represent. My buddy and I were ready to take continuing ed with Harry Averill, but unfortunately he fell ill and that was not to be. I am thankful I got to dive with him and still see him when in FL from time to time. My point is.....there are excellent instructors out there from other agencies as well.

Thanks for your insightful post.

Mike, what challange on quest? I don't think their interested in teaching at all do you?

This post, while seemingly well meaning, is nothing but a trojan horse. MHK implies that post people here are too dumb or niave to know what DIR is, let alone appreciate it, when in reality many don't care. He also then condemns those whos behavior is trash when in reality they are all his sock puppet buddies from rec.scuba. ( Can we say good cop, bad cop. )

And as for the DIR preference list on Quest? Well I hope thats the preference since people pay money to GUE to be on that list.

The reality is the DIR proponents will never go off and play in their own little sandbox ( techdiver-l / Quest ) they will invade with complete crass in unmoderated forums and just enough restraint in moderated forums to avoid banishment because they NEED the exposure to not DIR people to keep the revenue growing.

Well, I guess that just proves there are idiots on both sides of the fence.

chrpai once bubbled...
MHK implies that post people here are too dumb or niave to know what DIR is, let alone appreciate it,

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That is not implied at all. MHK is pointing out that there are alot of non tech divers here that have not been exposed to DIR.

Also, Scubaboard is open to all different systems so there is no need for anyone to go play in thier own "sandbox", but all posts are expected to be respectful as MHK has always been.

Chad

chrpai once bubbled...
This post, while seemingly well meaning, is nothing but a trojan horse. MHK implies that post people here are too dumb or niave to know what DIR is, let alone appreciate it, when in reality many don't care. He also then condemns those whos behavior is trash when in reality they are all his sock puppet buddies from rec.scuba. ( Can we say good cop, bad cop. )

And as for the DIR preference list on Quest? Well I hope thats the preference since people pay money to GUE to be on that list.

The reality is the DIR proponents will never go off and play in their own little sandbox ( techdiver-l / Quest ) they will invade with complete crass in unmoderated forums and just enough restraint in moderated forums to avoid banishment because they NEED the exposure to not DIR people to keep the revenue growing.

Click to expand...

I don't think it's that bad. No doubt MHK believes in the system and is eager to help some one down the path. Most avid DIR advocate pretty much think that you can't dive if you're not DIR and that's a little insulting but there enough divers trying to prove them right, also. Many of us believe that the industry is in bad shape but if this is the fix, I'd rather see diving end.

Not only does DIR attract serious divers but I believe it also is very attractive to total nut cases. It gives them everything, a leader, a cause, a set of rules and a reason to believe they are better or somehow set apart.

I have to admit I didn't realize just how nuts. Now I guess I have to watch my back while diving like I use to in the the old Chicago neighborhood.

They need to do something I guess. I think they create them or collect them then wind them up on quest or rec.scuba and turn them loose on the diving world. If they don't get away from having people like that going around preaching DIR it'll come back to haunt them. These goofs need to be locked up away from people.

with George.

Let's chill a bit here, fellas.
Thanks in advance.
Love,
Rick