Old or incompetent -- Which would YOU prefer?

[TSandM]

Last year, I did a Helitrox class (that I didn't know I was doing). It involved a lot of midwater failure work, and I didn't do very well with it. (If you deprive me of my sight in midwater, things generally do not go smoothly.) At the end of the class, I got my Helitrox card, but the instructor warned me not to aspire to anything more ambitious in the way of technical diving, "Because the skill set isn't there." I was crestfallen, but knew he was right.

I have quoted him a lot over the last year, but last night, I talked to someone who just took a class from the same instructor. He said the instructor told him I had misinterpreted what he said. The message was that at my stage of life, it wouldn't be worth the effort and time to achieve the skill level necessary to do more technical diving.

I was nonplused. Luckily, I don't have tremendous ambitions in that direction; caves are my thing, and nobody has told me I can't do them, either for age or for competence reasons. But I was shaking my head at the dinner table last night -- Which would you rather be told, that you're too incompetent to do a certain kind of diving, or that you're too old?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Probably old, because then senility is right around the corner and then the negative comments won't bother you too much?

But seriously, you sound to be your own harshest critic. If you think you can continue to progress and you continue to work at it with training, practice and physical conditioning, who cares what one person's opinion was?

 

[mrfixitchapman]

I have successfully proven that I can be both old and incompetent. I just couldn't decide between the two. I chose both.


***wink, wink***

DC

 

[Trimix2dive]

I want to be considered old when I'm looking down on them and they are saying, "ashes to ashes and dust to dust...."

 

[jupitermermaid]

Being TOLD I'm either incompetent or too old is just a matter of opinion by another person. What really matters is.....do YOU think you are too old or incompetent to do it? I can perform tasks that people 20 years younger cannot perform because of my stamina and strength. As far as age goes, I know people 10 to 15 years younger than me that act 30 years OLDER than me! It's all a matter of perspective and individuality. I know my limitations, regardless of whether it's due to incompetence or age......sometimes.

 

[Trimix2dive]

Being TOLD I'm either incompetent or too old is just a matter of opinion by another person. What really matters is.....do YOU think you are too old or incompetent to do it? I can perform tasks that people 20 years younger cannot perform because of my stamina and strength. As far as age goes, I know people 10 to 15 years younger than me that act 30 years OLDER than me! It's all a matter of perspective and individuality. I know my limitations, regardless of whether it's due to incompetence or age......sometimes.

I read a story once on a 92 yo. diver who had been diving since oh it began. All he had to do is fall in the water and be drug out, that is my ultimate boat dive. If he can to it so can you, take no **** and leave no stink.

If you want to dive it, some one will accomodate you. Or claim ageism and you own the dive shop anyway.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I know a man who scuba dives commercially nearly every day solo. He launches the boat alone, drives offshore to 60-75 ft, throws the anchor overboard and then swims down the line. He drift dives with the boat moving the anchor from one spot to the next while he collects tropicals. I'm pretty sure he is about 80.

 

[Otter]

Assuming both are factually correct, then I think the answer one chooses says much about the person. One person might choose old, because 'there is nothing they can do about it.' and 'takes it out of their hands'. Another person might choose incompetent because the it 'is under their control' and they can go 'become competent'.....one is a bias for finding a good reason why they can't do it, the other is bias for action.

Of course in reality, its is nearly impossible in most cases to 'prove' either is factually correct...unless of course there is an age limit (e.g. must complete Eagle Scout by age 18). So in my case, I would be rather be told incompetent because I am confident I can become competent and KNOW it (measurable) .vs be physiologically too old and finding out the hard way I was.

What was the question again ?????

 

[Dive-aholic]

Neither! To me, being told I'm incompetent means the instructor didn't do his/her job at teaching me the skills. The instructor has failed. And being told I'm too old is just a bunch of crap. I know lots of divers doing much more technical dives than many of us can dream of that are older than you, Lynne. You're only as old as you feel.

 

[TSandM]

Well, honestly, I was completely willing to swallow his original evaluation. I'm NOT good in midwater, and given the number of dives I have and the training I've gotten, I should be way better. It may be that these problems aren't amenable to any kind of solution. I'd actually gotten kind of comfortable with that, the way you get comfortable with a roommate you don't actually like, but have to put up with.

The new verdict really stung. I am NOT old; I am active, ambitious and, per a number of people, amazingly capable for my age. My personal trainer was blown away . . .

I'd much rather be told that my talent is limited, rather than be soothed away with a sop to my age. Which is why I started the thread!