Functional Experts (Functional vs. Accorded vs. Both)

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In a recent article written by God’s Bastard blogger (her article read here is not related to this article except as to the extraction of the two words completely outside her articles subject and intent, just sayin) she mentioned functional expert so that got my old brain a chugging away on just that set of words or the phrase/term as it might apply to martial arts and karate. Here is what I came up with after a bit of research and mindless meandering analysis and synthesis processes. 

Functional expertise is a combination of life skills and experiences along with an inner strength, ability and understanding in applying the expertise in every day life adventures. We gain that expertise through a lot of study, both academic and realty-based work. Then we add in a deliberate intent oriented practice, training, study and experiences (both from real life, if possible, and from various reality-based training and practices). 

Accorded expertise, the other side of the yin-yang coin, is built upon a foundation of degree, license, or certificate bestowed upon an individual from a recognized person, organization, or institution who by their credentials are able to bestow that title of expert on a person. It does not require real-world effort toward functional expertise to hold the title of accorded expert but it goes a long way toward validating your expertise if your resume holds both. 

Another way of perceiving accorded expertise is to look at it as an academic expertise with the caveat, in martial arts and karate, that said expertise is book learning expertise that changes or shifts as functional expertise efforts proceed in supplementing one’s overall expertise. Phew, what a mouthful so far :-)

In martial arts and karate practitioners, dojo’s, and/or organizations who profess to teach certain functional aspects that expose one to greater and greater conflict and possible violent actions having both may be absolutely critical (I say may to be safe for I am positive the two ARE critical but that is just my belief). 

The real question then becomes, “How does one in the martial arts and karate world achieve full, comprehensive and reality-based functional-accorded Expertise?” Hmmm …

I personally wanted to write about functional expertise simply because I have, in a limited way, seen many who profess expertise and/or mastery of their systems who may not really understand what it means and what it takes to be classified as an expert or master. For me, I don’t see me as a master or expert regardless of credentials or lack thereof, etc. I do consider myself, “Knowledgable!”

Hat tip (Ritsu-rei) to <Swimming in Deep Waters by God’s Bastard> as the inspiration for this post.

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