Belt Whippings in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Book Details
Author(s)Rob Lawlor
PublisherPhilosophebooks
ISBN / ASINB00B9E58M6
ISBN-13978B00B9E58M2
MarketplaceFrance 🇫🇷
Description
This essay is aimed, primarily, at those involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, though it may also be of interest, to anyone interested in the ethics of hazing.
This essay focuses on the particular example of the belt whippings that are common in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ).
At many BJJ clubs, when a student is promoted to the next grade he has to go through the following “ceremonyâ€: The other students and instructors form two lines, facing each other. They then take off their belts (made of thick cotton) fold them in half, and then in half again. The student being promoted then walks through the two lines of students who then whip the student with their belts as he walks past them.
This essay considers the ethics of this practice, considering whether it is ethically problematic, or just a bit of fun. The essay considers consent, escalation, the Milgram experiment, cognitive dissonance, legal considerations, conditional consent and the value of options, and also draws on Ryan Hall’s 2013 open letter to the martial arts community.
The word count of this essay is about 5000 words.
Rob Lawlor is a lecturer in applied ethics at the University of Leeds. He has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2000 (if not before). He has whipped (half-heartedly) and been whipped (not half-heartedly). He has refused to take part in whippings, and he has persuaded his coach to ban the whippings at his club.
Reviews of Shades of Goodness, published by Palgrave Macmillan:
“Rob Lawlor’s book is philosophically penetrating, innovative, well argued and well written. All students of consequentialism and deontology will have to read this book.†– Professor Brad Hooker.
“Rob Lawlor has produced an excellent book which should be of interest to anyone concerned with the nature of moral theories and the forms of explanation that they embody… This bare outline, though, does not convey what a splendidly rich source of ideas and arguments the book provides…†– Hugh Upton (Analysis)
This essay focuses on the particular example of the belt whippings that are common in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ).
At many BJJ clubs, when a student is promoted to the next grade he has to go through the following “ceremonyâ€: The other students and instructors form two lines, facing each other. They then take off their belts (made of thick cotton) fold them in half, and then in half again. The student being promoted then walks through the two lines of students who then whip the student with their belts as he walks past them.
This essay considers the ethics of this practice, considering whether it is ethically problematic, or just a bit of fun. The essay considers consent, escalation, the Milgram experiment, cognitive dissonance, legal considerations, conditional consent and the value of options, and also draws on Ryan Hall’s 2013 open letter to the martial arts community.
The word count of this essay is about 5000 words.
Rob Lawlor is a lecturer in applied ethics at the University of Leeds. He has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2000 (if not before). He has whipped (half-heartedly) and been whipped (not half-heartedly). He has refused to take part in whippings, and he has persuaded his coach to ban the whippings at his club.
Reviews of Shades of Goodness, published by Palgrave Macmillan:
“Rob Lawlor’s book is philosophically penetrating, innovative, well argued and well written. All students of consequentialism and deontology will have to read this book.†– Professor Brad Hooker.
“Rob Lawlor has produced an excellent book which should be of interest to anyone concerned with the nature of moral theories and the forms of explanation that they embody… This bare outline, though, does not convey what a splendidly rich source of ideas and arguments the book provides…†– Hugh Upton (Analysis)
