This physically hurts to watch.

[sphyon]

I get what you're saying.. and I agree.

Criticism alone isn't beneficial to anyone. It's an ego-salve. However, there is a learning benefit to constructive criticism...a case study that engages debate and provides solutions and improvements.

Another factor to bear in mind is that this video features a class. I believe that instructors do warrant some criticism when there might be doubts that they're teaching to an acceptable standard.

The students are there to learn.. and can't be blamed if their instructor isn't setting them a high standard or teaching to a commonly acceptable level.

But an instructor who's decided to scribble their credit card details on an agency application form and take people's hard-earned money for tuition... in full knowledge that they haven't attained any semblance of expertise in the subject area... is very irresponsible. It demands commentary.

I agree, and I certainly do not see the students in a negative light. I personally have had my share of horrible dives which were entirely on me.

That instructor though. I am just flabbergasted at his performance and apparent low bar for success.

Right. Now I'm the troll. Funny son of a b*tch.

I like to think I'm a funny guy. I will be in Zurich next month for some work, let's have some beers. I am serious.

 

[Storker]

Sculling, sure. Poor form, sure. Definitely not looking good. And probably quite a bit narked. Definitely not a dive I'd be proud of and probably a dive I'd do because of the narcosis. But as far as I could see (I didn't bother to watch more than the first 5-10 minutes of the video), they were pretty diligent about checking their computers and ctheir SPGs. And they didn't touch the wreck. So I really aren't particularly outraged. As long as a dive is conducted reasonably safely and the site isn't harmed, so what? The only rule they really violated was the "looking good" rule.

 

[Doby45]

And they didn't touch the wreck.

Yhea they touched it, a few times and the instructor practically was kneeling on the wreck to shoot a bag.

 

[Steve_C]

We also did not see what happened next. Clearly somebody was along to make a movie of the class. Did the class then watch the video and critique it. Did the instructor then use this as a learning event. In a first class most students do some things right and some things not. Then critique afterwards and hopefully do more right the second time.

 

[sphyon]

Sculling, sure. Poor form, sure. Definitely not looking good. And probably quite a bit narked. Definitely not a dive I'd be proud of and probably a dive I'd do because of the narcosis. But as far as I could see (I didn't bother to watch more than the first 5-10 minutes of the video), they were pretty diligent about checking their computers and ctheir SPGs. And they didn't touch the wreck. So I really aren't particularly outraged. As long as a dive is conducted reasonably safely and the site isn't harmed, so what? The only rule they really violated was the "looking good" rule.

Definitely some narcosis going on there yeah. They do bounce those bottles all over the deck later in the video though. Irreparable damage? Probably not. Sloppy and careless, especially on the instructors part? In my limited experience I would say so.

I get what you are saying with the looking good rule, but really aren't those practices rooted in keeping you and the environment around you safer? I mean I would think this would really increase risk for all parties. Deep wreck like that is probably covered in monofilament. Why would one increase entanglement risk for the team with all that crap hanging around?

Like you said, probably a safe enough dive. But stuff like this is what I imagine turns out terrible divers.

I need to get some GoPro video next time I do a deep dive, really interested in how bad my form gets now haha.

 

[sphyon]

We also did not see what happened next. Clearly somebody was along to make a movie of the class. Did the class then watch the video and critique it. Did the instructor then use this as a learning event. In a first class most students do some things right and some things not. Then critique afterwards and hopefully do more right the second time.

Excellent point. Possible.

 

[Storker]

Yhea they touched it, a few times and the instructor practically was kneeling on the wreck to shoot a bag.

OK, I didn't get that. As I said, I only watched the first five or so minutes.

 

[The Chairman]

2 phreakin' phunni.

If you're proud enough of your dive to post it on YouTube, then you can't blame us for putting your dive techniques into perspective. Were I the instructor, I would sue to have this gem taken down. If you don't want criticism, constructive or otherwise, then don't post it in the public venue. It certainly displays a distinct DIW (Doing it Wrong) mentality.

Hey, someone pass me the Toblerone!

 

[CptTightPants21]

Are you suggesting I said that?

There's nothing constructive in your first post. Did you go and talk to those guys to help them become better divers? Did your post point out the mistakes and how to solve them? Did you even ask what you "sincerely want to know"?

Here's some of the more mature reactions I've seen to some posts like yours in another place... They sum up my opinion pretty well.






And finally, a thread from a while ago in which I believe this had been discussed as well... Is Side Mount the new DIR??? Building resentment towards us as a group...

You know what the problem with this video and average OW scuba instruction is? They make ****. Unbelievable, unremarkable ****. Now I'm not some grungy wannabe DIRer that's searching for existentialism through a haze of bong smoke or something. No, it's easy to pick apart bad buoyancy, sh*ty trim, and a purely moronic stringing together of actions that many of the agencies term as "skills". No, I'm talking about the lack of realism. Realism; not a pervasive element in today's modern scuba instruction.

And let’s be clear, this isn’t some disingenuous movie still of Blake Lively speaking mid word with an unflattering face and call her fat. This is twenty minutes of pure garbage diving, all caught in unedited high-def, computer-enhanced, and color corrected. GUE, Anti-GUE, and everything in between, this video should be mocked,

 

[Patoux01]

this video should be mocked,

Yeah, sure, because it makes you feel better about yourself.

But at the end of the day:
- it's not helping them
- it's helping others that might have some of the same issues by explaining how to fix them. Not even pointing out the mistakes.
- It's telling people they should hide, so they'll possibly never get it explained correctly.

This is causing a loss for them, as their diving could be made more enjoyable, and a loss for some you since you consider them as reef and wreck destroyers.


It's really turning into circle-jerking here, sad.



edit: And by no means will I say I never laughed at videos like this. However, I've been called out on it, and it simply showed me that this kind of attitude is perfect for people wanting to go backwards...