Do we hide behind our titles? Thoughts?

I've come to notice lately a lot of people throwing out the line, "Stop throwing titles around" or, "Stop hiding behind your title(s)" It's also, one of the reasons for getting outside just being here on the temple website all the time and actually getting out and seeing what the world is doing around me.

I call myself a "Jedi" I also relate to the title "Jedi Knight" but, they're titles. It would be no different if I said to you, "I am Sven, but I also am a husband, a son and a grandson but, at the end of the day I am still just Sven." I am not based off my "titles" and at the end of the day does it really matter to anyone? I am proud of the accomplishments that I have obtained and the things I've learned they've shaped who I am today. However, If I am just merely wanting a Title Bar on my screen that says, "Sven One, Jedi Knight" Have I learned anything? Did I learn anything from my teaching Master? I might as well of just took everything I learned in IP and an Apprentice and thrown it in a hole and buried it...It meant nothing if I was merely doing it to earn a title right? Exactly, does that title get me anything in the real world? No except maybe a few chuckles from society that might think I am crazy going around calling myself a Jedi.

With that Aside I have been in mediation about this. When I am at work, school, church, or other events really make a distinguish between myself and being a Jedi I guess in my thought pattern I don't need to profess anything to anyone about my beliefs or views but, rather that they're one in the same and I want to live them out in front of people rather than just follow them or pretend to follow them. Jediism isn't a religion that you have to profess your beliefs or convert if you believe it great if you don't that's fine to. There is no heaven or hell and maybe I'm getting off subject here. But, I don't tell anyone really I think it should be lived out right in front of people and if they're curious to know what I believe I share with them. But, I am the same regardless and I feel like I am not quite getting my point across forgive me but, does anyone understand the point I am trying to get across?

So, I totally wasn't gonna touch this one but it's pretty dang interesting so.....here we go!

So, when we revisit Alan Watts, we learn to to keep working on dropping our ego. So, it is kinda ironic that we are having this conversation at all but we are so.......

So, I get what you are saying Sven. I am a Jedi and that for sure is a label I throw because of the belief I have of the force and how it works (no I won't be learning force push ). But, as I have been learning part of being a Jedi is being a good person for the sake of being a good person (this depends on the individuals own morale Ideals), however, we mostly share similar on the big ones (i.e. don't murder people).

So, there are times that I have seen in discussions particularly at work in a school district as only a second year teacher. So, I accept the title of teacher and that means someone should show me a certain level of respect. student refer to me as Mr. Kobos, until I say you can call me Kobos. Now, that is where there is needed to establish authority within a social construct. So, from that position it is easier for me to just say I'm right I'm the teacher than refute/debate an argument.

Here is an example where a more senior teacher actually made it a point to argue with me about this. This is my personal view but I know and have seen straight examples of other teachers rebuffing students for what I would consider insightful things. For example, if a student makes a valid argument or line of reasoning in a paper I find that more valuable than grammar (though I am not the most skilled grammarian) but many teachers will literally mark off enough to fail a B level argument (grammar still matters, that argument might an A but ill still dock you a grade level if your grammar looks like a text message). Personally, I think we have a societal issue with logic not that i am great but if we don't teach critical thinking we are screwing ourselves in the future....but I digress. So, in the course of this conversation they pulled that well I've been doing it since I graduated college condescendingly. Now in this case I bit my tongue unfortunately there are poltics in volved in moving your way up so meh....it sucks but I can't risk this career after ditching my last after success (which I found hollow...again digressing). I really wanted to say, "well I have been in the corporate world since I graduated college and in retail since I was 14 and no one gives a damn about grammar. It's not how you do things that matter but the actual things you do.

I think people see some of that here but in truth I see the balance of both sides and some necessity to and for titles. Now in the example above I feel I deserved the respect of at least a decent conversation about argument vs grammar but it wasn't going to happen. Now, I think people are picking up that vibe and that kinda sucks; I am not gonna judge this one because I have been preoccupied with classes (that I am taking) and work; and haven't been reading the forums as much to site examples.

In the end though I think we all agree that being a Jedi is understanding that understanding isn't really understanding. That being logical and yet emotionally righteous in actions and words is difficult, so, I learn about how to do this from the senior members here, because I am not quite there yet, I also realize that many of the lower titled member and brand new ones have literally "Jedi served" me several times.......I just had to drop the ego enough to admit they might be right and if there is even a sliver that they may be correct I need to address that in myself.

Just my 2 cents and some of what I had been thinking on this too Sven.

Kobos

Titles, symbols, and Labels were designed to help us more efficiently, communicate ideas. They are, in my opinion, an abridged idea.
For us Knighthood comes after an allotted amount of lessons and with stability of character in the Jedi path. What that translates to is knowledge, experience, and discipline.
For me being a Jedi shows a vested interest in giving yourself over to the rest of the world. Being a tool for the betterment of others. It shows a desire to be better.
Titles are only as useful as the meaning they convey. The meaning we give them. However, those meanings are very different for everyone.
What I think is more important than not hiding behind titles is trying to think of the meanings behind the title or symbol. Don't expect others to help you or change for you. Learn to adapt to the way of others.

I see both your points and very helpful. Perhaps I need to revisit the library and study more of Watts it has been awhile.

Lol, I only really brought him up because I retouched up on him about a week ago. I remember why I loved that lesson so much though, because reaching that ideal of no ego is not possible; for sure worth striving for though.

I agree I think we all have our egos at some point. But, I am glad to hear someone enjoyed his lectures and not just me lol...I always here from other Jedi that they hated his lectures I loved them I thought they're amazing I haven't ever really thought that way before. He literally pulls you out of your "Four Wall thinking" about how things are versus how things are because you've been told your whole life that it's that way but, in reality it isn't but, you've been told your whole life it is...lol I think I repeated myself lol.

It's hard sometimes to not feel though "Entitlement" because you have worked hard to earn what you have. It's like when I was in the AAU martial arts tournaments as a kid months and months of training, dedication and hard work went into my forms, Kadas, blocks, punches, style and form for the sparring matches. Often times I'd win 1st or 2nd place because I worked hard for it. For someone to come along and disrespect you or be rude to you and if you defend yourself often times I've heard people say the above statements...It's disrespectful in my opinion those with high rank titles I believe should be of double honor imo.

Now, before anyone starts to think I am talking about myself it's not that at all. I'm talkin about across this site. I've heard it said multiple times. I still don't think titles makes or breaks you as a Jedi though...your a Jedi because you believe. The Rank Apprentice, Jedi Knight and above I really think is an honored and privileged Rank or title to receive. Again IMO. Everyone, seems to have their own opinion and I feel their entitled to it.

For me personally I don't see it as hiding behind our titles, at least not as a goal as much as the titles hide behind us. Putting our actions and choices and consequences before the title. The title is just a definition to help communicate, but its us and our choices and actions that give that communication meaning. I don't have to go around saying I'm a Jedi, In fact its the opposite I don't really tell anyone really, unless they ask me specifically. I found something i believe in, and that I follow, and that's good enough for me, and so far has been good enough for everyone else. If I it comes down to a better explanation then I will gladly give it

As someone who recently got rid of all her titles i can assure you , just being a Jedi is work enough , that meaning that living up to the Jedi ideals is a day and night job , one that is worth it. All the rest seems like frills to hide behind , to inflate our egos? Its best to live your life the best way you can , upholding the Jedi standards is one thing , dragging them into every communication is another , if you cannot even convince yourself that you are Jedi , how can you convince others. Show people you are Jedi , dont tell them....

But IS there a definition of what a Jedi is and what a Jedi is not? Is there a definition for a Knight? What does a Knight actually do? Other than answer a few questions and complete a few lessons...

Does Watts say that we need to work on dropping our egos ? :huh: When ? He actually says to regard the ego for what it is : 'wanting to get rid of one's ego is the most egotistical thing we can try doing'.

Ego (the word) only means "I". How can we get rid of that and still have experience ? Do we have (present) experience, or do we have but memories of experiences ? And how reliable are those memories ? How much of the judgements and feelings associated with them are merely learnt 'things' (example : feeling indignant because we think we ought to -- mistaking of ought for is )

When we talk about being "entitled to an opinion" -- how is that different from any other thought of "entitlement" ? Certainly, we are going to think something about whatever is going on, but how much of that thinking is the contemplation of what is going on, and how much of it is thinking/feeling that we need to have an opinion because we are "entitled" to one ? It isn't the 'opinion' that we're defending as much as we are expecting a certain respect towards that "entitlement" (even when we know that we don't know enough about it to have an opinion). It is here that we really need to un-cross our wires about what our "entitlements" actually are ...

This is not a TotJO restricted behaviour ; it is not so much our 'titles' that we hide behind as it is our avatars. And that is where it comes back to that pesky ego-self (off-line as well as on-). We are not so much counselled to get rid of our egos (we can't) as to peel off the layers of it - like an onion - to reveal that there is nothing underneath all the ego layers. Our avatars are not just pictures that we think represent us in some way. That representation itself is just part of another layer. Our ranks, titles and feelings of "entitlement" are others ... I won't go into how extensive they are, for it truly is a huge onion. We don't need to get rid of the layers, because they are essentially what makes up the tasty salad. But there are other things in a salad besides bits of 'onion'. What makes it tasty is the relationships between everything else in the mix. Are the onion bits really more respectable than the tomato or cucumber bits (experience notwithstanding) ?

Just food for thought : our avatars are how we represent ourselves to others. How "accurate" are the pictures we're representing to others we interact with daily face-to-face ? Are we entering into actual, real relations with others, or are our mis-meetings just a collision of images in relation to each other ?