Are there a cullture and values in fencing?

["Fence like a Cat"]

The question came to me recently on whether fencing is a values based sport, with a code of conduct (apart from the rules of the game) similar to martial arts. Is there a culture of values in fencing or is it a souless sport?

What do you think?

Marty

[danp]

I think there is a simple value system in fencing, and that it's imposed (sometimes stringently sometimes not) by the participants and directors. It strikes me as a sport that has a strong element of honor and good sportsmanship through its rules, but in martial arts there is a deeper focus on philosophy underlying the actions and combat. The instructors in martial arts seem more apt to pass down and impart the "spirit" and roots of the sport more than in fencing.

In my limited experience, most of the people I've fenced understand and abide by the spirit of shaking hands with your opponent, salute in kind, and trying to carry yourself with some dignity. I've seen bad sportsmanship as well, but generally speaking it's been positive.

Simple values, yes. An underlying philosophy and soulfulness, not so much.

Just an opinion.
-Dan

[Victor]

Only the strong survive. Friends are a luxury for losers. You either deal pain or you receive it.

[Wizardly]

Culture...as with all cultures, it's regional. Common culture I've observed:

- when you jostle your opponent, ro they fall, or they take a painful shot, make sure they're okay.

- the fencing bum phenomenon - all spare money goes into fencing, before fencing, 10 people gathered around fixing their weapons and equipment.

- cheer for your teammates like nothing else, especially in the later bouts.

- sharing spare weapons is fairly common in a pinch.

- lefties are frequently damned.

- touches are conceded frequently. Without a director, fencers are fairly honorable about throwing out "dunno's."

I don't know too much about any other occidental martial arts (wrestling, boxing, capuera, etc..), but fencing definitely lacks the religious/ superstitious/ philosophical undertones inherent in a lot of oriental martial arts.

[Almightynoitall]

Culture: It's a fabulous chivalric structure.

Other sports have unsportsmanlike behavior, but ony in fencing will you be blackcarded and kicked out of the place for refusing to salute your opponent before and after a match.

Only in Fencing do you find opponents that acknowledge your attacks that the machine or referee may miss.

Only in fencing will you find a handshake after the bout is required.

Only in fencing will you find opponents (occasionally, but more often than not) who are kind enough to share their own gear with you when yours breaks/malfunctions.

As a newbie, good fencers will beat you... great fencers will dessimate you, but allow you to learn by it.

[Almightynoitall]

Originally posted by Wizardly
- lefties are frequently damned.

I be damned!!! woohoo!

[Phoenix]

I think there is a deep culture in fencing going all the way back to the times of the pharohs. The art of swordmanship has been around for centuries and has influenced the way we live today. Battles and duels have been fought with swords and history would be very different without the sword. Kids play with sticks and have "fencing bouts" in the playgrounds and we see fencing in our favorite movies. Fencing might not be so widespread as it was in the past (come on, how many fencing keychains have you just seen hanging around some gift store?) but it still is a place were people dream of knights and royalty. To get to the point, fencing is a culture all in it's own. Rules, beliefs (superstions), and people. Fencing is Fencing.



y can't i write essay's like that in school?