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The following is an excerpt from a communication between myself and another
cave instructor. As a couple individuals have expressed concern over this
same issue, I am left with the conclusion that one or two people have loud
voices, or that a portion of the community is interested in my position. My
resistance to addressing this issue publicly was more a matter of respect for
the forum's time than an issue of avoidance. To be sure, I have no idea if
any of you are even interested in this issue. If you could care less how JJ
feels about George Irvine's opinions, save yourself some time and move on. If
you do care, I hope that I have not wasted too much of your time with this
response.

Communication received 10/27/96 by JJcave@ao*.co*

>>>Because of George's (Irvine) statement to the forum, I complained to my
training director about what was written and felt it was wrong.  Since you
have not corrected the problem, I assume the training director did not talk
to you or you chose to leave things alone.  George's statement to the forum
are insults to the profession of a cave diving instructor.  Several of my
fellow instructors feel you condone his actions, as you have never stated in
this forum that he is wrong.

end of communication.


I will try to address these concerns in the most expedient manner possible.

First, the assumption that I would have to agree with the tenor and nature of
everything that a friend and fellow diver might say is rather naive. I find
it hard to believe that individuals actually assume that one must agree with
all aspects of a person to remain friendly with them. How many people have
close friends and even spouses that you do not find areas in which your
personalities differ?

Secondly, this naive assumption infers that I have control over all the
members of the team and that I would and should exert that control. The
membership of the WKPP is made up of many different individuals with their
own particular agendas and styles. Each member belongs to our group because
they have a similar picture of the ability of a group to succeed where
individuals have failed. Each person brings something unique to the group and
facilitates its overall success. Our policy of uniformity in configuration is
a response to the dangerous environment in which we work and not a reflection
of a single entity with no individual personalities. 

Many of you have come to know George Irvine because he is very vocal and very
visible. Some of you have chosen to discount him and therefore the group
because you do not agree with him or with his style. Certainly that is your
right. However, expecting others (me in this example) to follow suit is very
short sighted. My goals are ambitious and quite long term. I have a bigger
dream to see a very dynamic relationship between science and cave diving. I
have tried many different methods and worked with many different people in an
attempt to fulfill this goal. For better or worse, I have found no more
dedicated individual than George Irvine. I do not expect the community to
understand this. Indeed, I have met very few people that understand this type
of dedication. It is true that we do have different styles and different
pictures of how these goals should be accomplished. We do, however, have a
common vision, and to disregard that vision seems counterproductive.

Ironically, I have been the general "community's" best friend. I usually
strive to encourage inclusion of as many people as possible. Our group as a
whole made a sincere effort to be as inclusive as possible. Some people took
advantage of this period while many others did not. Of the dozens of people
that we worked to include, practically none really wanted to contribute.
Indeed, many people thought it was their right to dive and were concerned
with what they could do, not with how they could help. Perhaps this is a
response to the fact that the community does not truly believe we have
scientific goals in mind. Perhaps all that we have done and continue to do is
dismissed as a ploy to gain access. That is unfortunate because it is simply
not true. The community at large could never imagine the time and dedication
that our group of divers maintains. Countless hours of non-diving related
activities overwhelm our schedules. The time, money and energy spent in the
pursuit of this activity is beyond my ability to relay.

I have heard that on several occasions people have become particularly
enraged at comments made by our group in general or George in particular. In
response, I should inform you all that I am not currently, nor have I ever
been a member of the lists on which these activities occur. I have only
participated in one inter-group list and posted one message to the general
forums. In general, I do not have time to spend on these lists. It seems very
foolish that individuals expect me to regulate the activities of another
individual on a list I do not even read. My allegiance to George involves his
ability, motivation, dedication, and friendship and is not based upon his
comments to people on forums I am not involved with.

To be sure, I am aware of some of the complaints many people have and I will
address those promptly. Yet, I think it is important to recognize that George
is entitled to his opinion as is everyone else on these lists and in this
world. If his opinion is unjustified or erroneous then the people involved
should address the situation. Indeed, I am not sure what it is that these
"concerned" individuals would have me do.

As for my position in regard to the public comments made, this is more
appropriately a case by case evaluation. However, in general I believe that
the Hogarthian style of diving is the best style available for the widest
range of situations. I recognize that certain modifications may be
appropriate in different areas, but in general I have not found this to be a
frequent necessity. I do not have a problem with people who depart from this
particular style, as their situation has no bearing on my particular agenda.
To be sure, people can dive any way they desire. However, the personal
preference argument, when brought to its natural conclusion, basically leaves
us with a policy that tells people to do as they please. In practice this
seems to have mixed results with some people fairing well and others not so
well. It has also led to instructors who discuss streamlining equipment and
make no effort to even tuck away back up lights. 

Communication received 10/29/96 by JJcave@ao*.co*

JJ, the article I think you posted on the internet was horrendous

End of communication.

The equipment configuration article "I" posted was an article published in
older additions of the NACD and NSS-CDS. It was writen in response to
requests made by numerous individuals for more information. In general, I
have received positive comment by many different individuals with several
different configuration considerations. I was making an honest attempt to
contribute my personal experience. I naturally assumed that people would do
what they desired with the information and I see nothing "horrendous" or even
inflammatory about it. The posting to electronic media was again a response
to several requests by other interested individuals asking if they could have
my permission to post the article.

It seems that regardless of how insulted some people have become, the
activities on these forums have made everyone more conscious of gear
configuration. Essentially George Irvine has introduced accountability into
the instructional world, however inelegantly. As instructors, we are paid for
our training and expertise (read opinion). If we are paid for our opinions it
seems that opinion is not beyond question. Indeed, people would argue that
much more has gone on than just the rendering of opinions. While this is
generally true, I think it is up to the consumer to decide what is of value.
The real issue in this debate is not George Irvine, it is not my failure to
become involved, it is about people and their ability to decide what they
want to read and what they want to ignore. If George did not have a message
that the community wanted to hear, they would stop listening and this
"problem" would go away. However, many people are interested in the message,
if not the style and therefore it really is not up to me or the vocal
minority to dictate policy, it is up to the individual subscriber.

History is replete with different groups (usually the majority) who attempt
to stifle all dialogue. The thing that distinguishes a free country is the
viability of free dialogue. I wonder, would the individuals so concerned by
my failure to stifle members of the group have us gag the skin heads, the
pro-choice people, anti-abortionists, environmentalists, black power people,
animal rights activists? Who exactly decides what is acceptable and what
should be heard? I would submit to you that, in fact, it will always be (or
should always be) the individual consumer. In any case, I do not feel
qualified to play the role of social moderator. I would perhaps change the
tone and tenor of much that is said by our group, but I would also prefer to
change much of what I hear in the world. I, for one, am willing to accept the
risk that much of what could be said in the world will not be to my liking. I
accept that fact because I can listen to the available information or I can
ignore it, I can act upon advice or recommendations or I can ignore them. If
the information, however distasteful, is not available then someone has made
the decision for me. Someone else has regulated my ability to decide.

In closing, let me say that if there are those of you out there who have
chosen to judge me based on third and fourth party discussions, then I think
that is too bad. I have made a great effort in my life to deal honestly,
fairly and compassionately with people and it is unfortunate that people
would be so willing to judge me for something other than my actions and
words. Yet, I believe firmly in the freedom of this world and irrational snap
judgments are at least as much a right as common rational evaluation. Best
wishes to you all.

Good Diving,

JJ

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