- Messages
- 7,660
- Reaction score
- 4,717
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
I do too. I also hold Basic Scuba Discussions to be a safe haven.
Bitterness of Scuba Instructors
- Thread starter FPDocMatt
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
DevonDiver
N/A
I wouldn't class myself as 'bitter', but I can be cynical sometimes and I do get frustrated by some of the things I witness in the scuba industry/community. Like many areas of life, what seems 'perfect' to a newbie often takes on a different perspective as you gain more awareness and understanding of the realities. I can see how that may be interpreted as 'bitterness'.
I'm not bitter. After self-examination (thanks Matt), I am pretty sure of that.
However, I do have certain views and preconceptions - and I like it when those things are raised in my awareness and challenged.
Do I get frustrated with 'bad' divers? Yes - absolutely. Both the divers and the industry 'pros' who spawn them. I was sent the photo (below) today - taken of a group of fun divers in the Southern Philippines. The pro 'divemaster' escorting the group was encouraging them and taking photos of their turtle harassment. It makes my blood boil, truly. I've encountered far, far, far too many divers like that - and their behavior and mindset annoy me intensely. Is that bitterness? No. Perhaps a novice diver on the internet may see that frustration as bitterness - but until they've seen the worst of it in reality, they're unlikely to understand what it is that causes my frustration. I've been in love with the oceans for all of my adult life - It grieves me to see those oceans abused. I'm also been a passionate educator - It grieves me to see divers who aren't educated to respect the oceans.
Do I get frustrated with 'bad' instructors and poor training? Yes - absolutely. I have a keen sense of 'fairness' and I see evidence all the time that students have been improperly trained or sold short of what they should have received. That doesn't make me bitter, or cynical, but I do feel compelled to highlight it, where I see it exists. It's not something that personally 'angers' me (frustration and anger being different) - because I believe that every student has an ability to source and confirm the quality of the instruction that they receive. However, I am passionate about education - so it does grieve me to see dispassionate educators who do their students a dis-service; especially when safety is at stake. Not an ounce of bitterness there - I merely feel that the situation needs highlighting, should improvement ever occur.
Do I get frustrated with the scuba industry? No - absolutely yes.... it depends. I understand the industry is about profit. It's easy to become idealized and anti-industry - poking scorn at the state-of-affairs regards scuba training and qualification. I think the industry could do more for divers, but I don't think it is as cynical as some perceive it to be. Courses have been dumbed down - but they've also been made modular. Emphasis on 'fun' has replaced emphasis on 'safe'. I don't agree with that. Instructors and DMs are qualified, who have more to learn from many of the divers they guide than vice-versa. I don't agree with that either. There's an emphasis on 'minimum requirement' scuba tuition - I think most of the industry has lost sight of what it means to teach a person something, rather than 'provide a product' - instructor development courses and 'minimum' training standards are responsible for that mindset. Does that come across as bitterness? I hope not. It's just an informed opinion about the reality of the scuba training industry.
I'm not bitter. After self-examination (thanks Matt), I am pretty sure of that.
However, I do have certain views and preconceptions - and I like it when those things are raised in my awareness and challenged.
Do I get frustrated with 'bad' divers? Yes - absolutely. Both the divers and the industry 'pros' who spawn them. I was sent the photo (below) today - taken of a group of fun divers in the Southern Philippines. The pro 'divemaster' escorting the group was encouraging them and taking photos of their turtle harassment. It makes my blood boil, truly. I've encountered far, far, far too many divers like that - and their behavior and mindset annoy me intensely. Is that bitterness? No. Perhaps a novice diver on the internet may see that frustration as bitterness - but until they've seen the worst of it in reality, they're unlikely to understand what it is that causes my frustration. I've been in love with the oceans for all of my adult life - It grieves me to see those oceans abused. I'm also been a passionate educator - It grieves me to see divers who aren't educated to respect the oceans.
Do I get frustrated with 'bad' instructors and poor training? Yes - absolutely. I have a keen sense of 'fairness' and I see evidence all the time that students have been improperly trained or sold short of what they should have received. That doesn't make me bitter, or cynical, but I do feel compelled to highlight it, where I see it exists. It's not something that personally 'angers' me (frustration and anger being different) - because I believe that every student has an ability to source and confirm the quality of the instruction that they receive. However, I am passionate about education - so it does grieve me to see dispassionate educators who do their students a dis-service; especially when safety is at stake. Not an ounce of bitterness there - I merely feel that the situation needs highlighting, should improvement ever occur.
Do I get frustrated with the scuba industry? No - absolutely yes.... it depends. I understand the industry is about profit. It's easy to become idealized and anti-industry - poking scorn at the state-of-affairs regards scuba training and qualification. I think the industry could do more for divers, but I don't think it is as cynical as some perceive it to be. Courses have been dumbed down - but they've also been made modular. Emphasis on 'fun' has replaced emphasis on 'safe'. I don't agree with that. Instructors and DMs are qualified, who have more to learn from many of the divers they guide than vice-versa. I don't agree with that either. There's an emphasis on 'minimum requirement' scuba tuition - I think most of the industry has lost sight of what it means to teach a person something, rather than 'provide a product' - instructor development courses and 'minimum' training standards are responsible for that mindset. Does that come across as bitterness? I hope not. It's just an informed opinion about the reality of the scuba training industry.
- Messages
- 7,660
- Reaction score
- 4,717
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
Great post, Andy.
You validated Matt.
You validated Matt.
DevonDiver
N/A
Absolutely. That's why it is important to recognize differing perspectives.
When I read perspectives, like Matt's, it helps remind me of why I dive in the first place - the sense of community, having fun, learning, sharing... being underwater. It doesn't hurt to be reminded of those simple pleasures sometimes - and allow the cynicism and politics to drop away and see it for what it really is.
- Messages
- 7,660
- Reaction score
- 4,717
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
You could be wrong, but I like your current tack. I'm in.
I've met a couple of bitter instructors, but most have been very pleasant - and have become my friends. The ones who are bitter have difficulty working with the public. Sometimes they treat their customers as an intrusion. You can find this with any profession.
I've heard an instructor refer to his students as "idiots" - they weren't idiots (well, maybe one was
, but new/student divers really don't know much. Truly, it takes years (w/hundreds of dives) to perfect things like buoyancy, underwater navigation, etc - and it takes very patient instructors to teach them. Some people may really love diving and go to highest levels of instruction, but not have the temperament to teach.
Saying this, the instructors that I know who have been in the industry for years truly love to serve the public - they truly love people and want to share their love of diving with them.
I've heard an instructor refer to his students as "idiots" - they weren't idiots (well, maybe one was
, but new/student divers really don't know much. Truly, it takes years (w/hundreds of dives) to perfect things like buoyancy, underwater navigation, etc - and it takes very patient instructors to teach them. Some people may really love diving and go to highest levels of instruction, but not have the temperament to teach.Saying this, the instructors that I know who have been in the industry for years truly love to serve the public - they truly love people and want to share their love of diving with them.
Reck Diver
Contributor
- Messages
- 542
- Reaction score
- 170
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
Matt,
Great post and great thread. Frankly long over due and some mirrors are getting some long overdue use.
The Boca Hotel and Resort hosts a Large CME conference every year, hosted by the Boca Raton Community Hospital. Come on down, and you will have 2 seats aboard my boat for some great diving I know you will enjoy. Some of your peers down here do pretty good under water.
Regards,
-RD-
Great post and great thread. Frankly long over due and some mirrors are getting some long overdue use.
The Boca Hotel and Resort hosts a Large CME conference every year, hosted by the Boca Raton Community Hospital. Come on down, and you will have 2 seats aboard my boat for some great diving I know you will enjoy. Some of your peers down here do pretty good under water.
Regards,
-RD-
- Messages
- 93,156
- Reaction score
- 91,005
- Location
- On the Fun Side of Trump's Wall
- # of dives
- 2500 - 4999
Nah, my point being that thin skin and a petulant whine is tiresome - and probably deserving of the occasional slight. Sometimes the old adage applies: newbies should be seen (at the dive site) and not heard (on the board.) Nobody doesn't want you to be part of the community but 24 dives means you don't have much to contribute beyond noise. Witness this thread. Remember, the first step to learning is to close your mouth and open your mind. The second step is to use the search function.
... if that wasn't meant in jest, I completely disagree with it. Over the years some of the best threads on ScubaBoard were started by new divers with questions that sparked some interesting conversation.
One of the main things that's kept me coming back to ScubaBoard over the years is the fresh influx of new divers coming here with questions. If those questions are tiresome to you, then you should skip those threads ... and let those of us who come here to help those people learn and understand answer them.
I met Uncle Pug on here when I was a newb ... I've been trying to pay forward his wisdom and patience ever since. A few years later I met this newb who came onto ScubaBoard with a bunch of questions, and some of the funniest stories about the trials and tribulations of being a new diver. Perhaps you remember her ... TSandM. Were it not for all those stories and questions, I'd be missing out on one of the best friends I've ever had in scuba diving.
So I encourage new divers to post and participate ... their fresh perspective often helps me learn something in the process of answering their question ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Matt,
I'm also new to SCUBAboard. I see your side.
Just have fun, go diving and continue to post!
I'm also new to SCUBAboard. I see your side.
Just have fun, go diving and continue to post!
This is complete and utter nonsense. The number of dives a person has contributes almost nothing to their value on this board. We have people posting good questions/comments before they even get certified. Your attitude is exactly what this thread is all about, and it's total BS.Nah, my point being that thin skin and a petulant whine is tiresome - and probably deserving of the occasional slight. Sometimes the old adage applies: newbies should be seen (at the dive site) and not heard (on the board.) Nobody doesn't want you to be part of the community but 24 dives means you don't have much to contribute beyond noise. Witness this thread. Remember, the first step to learning is to close your mouth and open your mind. The second step is to use the search function.
The first step to learning is being open minded, like you said, but there is zero requirement for closing your mouth. Questions are good things. Debate for purposes of expanding understanding is a good thing. You sound like one of those "I'm smarter than you" college professors who have lots of academia and no "real-world" experience but thinks everything in the real world directly matches theory. I've had a few professors/instructors like that and let me tell you, they were far and away the worst instructors I've ever had.
Similar threads
- Question
