A somewhat sad conversation last night

[matts1w]

This topic/issue has been very popular on ScubaBoard for pretty much a decade. It ebbs and flows, but there is always at least one active thread with a DIR versus the world theme. One would think if "generation" after "generation" of ScubaBoard members is consistently turned off by this rhetoric, then it might be time to make some changes instead of pointing fingers at everyone else who does not understand or the very few individuals giving the black or white system a bad name. If one person told me I had a tail I would think they were way off. If ten years passes and person after person keeps telling me I have a tail I might start considering looking in a mirror to see what is really going on back there.

If one subscribes to any "system" in life that accepts no gray areas, do not be surprised when many people simply do not want to join.

 

[RonFrank]

... that's like asking if the term "PADI" stands for "Professional Association of Dive Instructors", does that mean that if you're not a PADI instructor, you're unprofessional?

It's a marketing term ... there are no hidden meanings ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob, if you think it is just a marketing term and there is no implied "doing it wrong" then I need a hit of what you're smoking. Do you remember the flame wars DIR created on SB?

DIR has become more relaxed but last time I checked DIR still does not allow most popular gear configurations. I have the gear to fit the DIR lifestyle right down to a 7' hose but I am not DIR. When I can take Fundies in a Zeagle Ranger BC let me know.....

 

[lowviz]

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...//.... I have the gear to fit the DIR lifestyle right down to a 7' hose but I am not DIR. When I can take Fundies in a Zeagle Ranger BC let me know.....

Then there is the "personal preference" thing.

My take on it:

If the whole magilla strikes a chord in you, go for it. If a lot makes sense and other parts don't, just watch and learn. Don't be a "hater".

-If nothing makes sense, or some parts just rankle, maybe it is the observer...

 

[Saxatilis]

Sadly, I have to admit I was also one of the divers rather put off by extremist DIR people. Even now when my current rig is mostly DIR, I still dislike ANYBODY who is not willing to accept that there is no "one true way" as far as gear and setup is concerned. In my own posts I try to help people avoid the mistakes I made but try to keep in mind what worked for me may not work for others.

 

[lamont]

I was involved with the whole DIR set of problems we as mods had and it was not fun. We basically ended walling the DIR zealots off and that worked. It is still that way to this day. They have opt in areas and if you want to participate there you better be DIR. There is no tolerance for split fins or jacket BC's.

Uhm, the DIR forum is an open forum and most SB users can go there and post. It isn't really walled off. The DPF forum is walled off, but its basically dead (users can still see what goes on in there, but its mostly lots of crickets chirping).

By far the most useful thing for the forums from my perspective as the DIR moderator has been banning the few posters who liked to troll the group. Generally they'd go in tossing off obvious troll bait and then when I gave them a warning in PM they'd go off with a pile of vitriol that was much worse and I'd forward the PM to Pete who would give them a subforum ban to keep them out of the DIR forum. Wash/Rinse/Repeat. Once those people stopped trolling the DIR group then the DIR posters have gotten a whole lot less defensive generally -- and the traffic on the DIR forum has dropped to zero because there's no more car accident rubbernecking factor to the group.

 

[lowviz]

...//... there is no "one true way" as far as gear and setup is concerned. ...//....

It is more than just gear. If you buy into the system, you no longer have to defend anything you do. There is a sizeable structure in place that is quite willing to help you with that. This, I believe, is the unspoken draw that new practioners feel. Most mature past this to just become DIR practitioners. These don't bother me at all.

 

[Scott L]

I was much more concerned if my fundies instructor was going to be reasonably nice, Etc. as opposed to the manners of some posters. Ironically, most things are so cut and dry with DIR, what is there to discuss?

 

[lowviz]

Some, like Lamont above, share willingly and openly with the greater dive community. Much valuable information and ideas in there if you choose to look. -fundamentally changed how I dive...

 

[Ulfhedinn]

Im a newbie diver with just over 50 dives under my belt. My PADI OW and AOW were in a vest and standard hose setup. 10 dives or so in I see this fellow at the beach wearing a BP/w setup and ask my good friend and instructor what that setup is he tells me he is a tech diver. So I approach this person when he is on his SI and ask him about his setup. He was very helpful and very freindly. He mentions DIR to me and tells me the best approach is to do some googling and read some forum boards. DiveMatrix and Scubaboard.


Since then I have "drank the koolaid" as some have said.


Now mind you I am the type of person who wants to learn, test, train every hobby I pick up to the very best of my ability. You might even call me an elitest. Its not for others its for me. The bad thing is I dont live close to the drink or I would dive everyday so I spend alot of time in a pool going over skills. Some of my freinds dont understand... hey just get in the water and swim around and look at stuff what is with all the drills, the training, the 2 hour pool time just playing around with your spool, smb, deco tank, trim, bouyance, etc.


I like rules, I like organazation, I like methods. This being said I also like to push the envelope but not if it endangers others mind you.


To know a thing well, know its limits. Only when pushed beyond its tolerances will true nature be seen. - The Amtal Rule


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I have met many DIR divers. Spoke to a fair share of GUE and UTD divers and everyone of them have been courteus and professional to me. They have invited me to go diving with them and I have taken some up on this and so wish to take the others up on this too.


My wife and all my diving buddies that I dive with 99% of the time dont care one bit about DIR diving, my gear choices, and I dont share unless they ask... OK I probaly drive the wife crazy but I dont push I will continue do dive with non DIR divers as long as I dive and they let me. hehe


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Now I dont care for now it alls, I dont care for braggers, and I dont care for people who want to make my choices for me. I dont do that to others and expect the same from those I choose to hang with. On the other hand I do like and appreciate constructive crit, fact I look forward to it.


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Where am I going with this... I love love love diving. Its the most cathartic thing I have ever done that at the same time makes me want to better myself in the sport. I choose DIR becuase it works for me and I dont know anyone personaly who has tried it and didnt walk away a better, more well rounded, safer diver and that to me speaks volumes.


Sorry if this is long winded and all over the place but I wanted to share my 2 cents. Thanks if you read this far. I also want to personaly thank those on this forum and Divematrix for going above and beyound the call of duty to offer assitance and help to this dive junkie! You know who you are!

"Wow my spelling and grammar are bad" sorry for that.

 

[lamont]

This topic/issue has been very popular on ScubaBoard for pretty much a decade. It ebbs and flows, but there is always at least one active thread with a DIR versus the world theme. One would think if "generation" after "generation" of ScubaBoard members is consistently turned off by this rhetoric, then it might be time to make some changes instead of pointing fingers at everyone else who does not understand or the very few individuals giving the black or white system a bad name. If one person told me I had a tail I would think they were way off. If ten years passes and person after person keeps telling me I have a tail I might start considering looking in a mirror to see what is really going on back there.

If one subscribes to any "system" in life that accepts no gray areas, do not be surprised when many people simply do not want to join.

Thing is that the goal isn't to get you to join. The point is to find people who enjoy a well-tested system rather than trying to reinvent the wheel themselves.

Your point isn't the problem with it, its really the whole point of it.

The newbies that turn around and flame everyone else that want to push the whole system onto the rest of the world are the bigger internal issue.

The external issue is folks who don't understand it and like to demand that since everything revolves around their own worldview that GUE should change to suit them. Which will never happen.

All this then gets magnified by the internet and there's nothing much really to change here unless you can modify fundamental human behavior...