My views on Ranma (long post)

[antimatterenergy]

Happosai hasn't actually taught Ranma anything on purpose but since Happosai is the Grandmaster of any thing goes martial arts and Ranma is a student of any thing goes. Happosai is technically his master/sensei/teacher.

[Cyber_Skaarj]

Happosai hasn't actually taught Ranma anything on purpose but since Happosai is the Grandmaster of any thing goes martial arts and Ranma is a student of any thing goes. Happosai is technically his master/sensei/teacher.

The trouble with this is as much as Happosai goes on and on about being the Grandmaster, he never really bothers with the positions duty to teach the Art. What's the point of having all that knowledge of a powerful art of combat when you hardly ever bother to pass that knowledge on? He never taught anyone anything (as far as I can recall) since his arrival in the storyline, and as far as we know has only ever had two students - Genma and Soun - which is hardly a very good set of credentials for a supposed Grandmaster (note that I'm not including Natsume and Karumi since they are anime only, and I see the manga as the more relevant source).
All of which supports your reason why Ranma should not bother giving Happosai any respect when added to his actions. If Happosai actually bothered to teach Ranma powerful techniques then Ranma might be willing to give Happosai just a little bit of respect, even in light of the things Happosai does.

[mondu_the_fat]

As for my views on respect. I know way to many people who expect respect based only on their jobs or postition in society. Ex. old boss expected me to respect him because of his position but I wouldn't because he was stealing from the company. I should respect him because he's my boss but I wouldn't because of his actions.

He's your boss. The assumption there is that he's done something better than you, whatever that is, and it lies upon you to prove that he reached his current position through illegal/unsavory means. Otherwise, you give him respect.
Whether he embezzles is a seperate matter than doesn't make him any less your boss. And you knew he was stealing money, why are you letting him? Why were you condoning his actions. Did you do anything to get him sacked? If not, why should anyone pay respect to you?

From what I have seen age or position does not impart wisdom.

Greater weight=/=greater fat, but if I see someone who weighs 400lbs, I'd be more than willing to bet it isn't because he's a 20-foot man.
When you get to that position and people start questioning your judgements, what's your defense? Apparently previous achivements mean nothing to you. So what will you do when you're the boss of you're company and no one respects you because you haven't done anynthing obviously great within their terms of employment?

Another person who is older than me by about 20 years and has a masters degree. Has managed to be in and out of jail for the last 10 years. can list many more.

So? Unless his masters degree has anything to do with his jail time, it does not take away his masters degree. He still knows and achieved more than you.

[antimatterenergy]

That's how I lost the job and got black listed from other jobs (they don't like it when you get your boss fired, and his boss, and the accountant who keeps the books).
I respect people for there achievements. But many people I know have wasted their lives and achieved nothing. Even just being able to take care of yourself is enough to earn some respect because many people can't. It is hard to respect people who spend their entire life on the couch getting fat. Also I never want to be a boss every boss I've met or seen has gotten there jobs based on who they know and not their abilities often times slowing down progress, instilling stupid rules, and not ordering needed supplies in sufficient quantities in order to cut cost and pad their wages.
Actually he has grown older but has mostly wasted his life and achieved very little if he had actually achieved thing like being able to keep a job or avoid drugs I would respect him. What good is a masters degree if you don't use it?
I'm mostly saying that giving respect solely based on age or position is not that good an idea. Since everyone ages and many people obtain their positions based on falsehoods or by knowing the right people. People who have earned their positions and know what their doing deserve respect.
Anyways were getting of topic this thread was to flesh out Ranma's character not mine.

[crystlshake]

A master's degree is always usefull in one context. That being that it shows your ability to dedicate and complete something. It's this basis that gives it value in a generic sense to the employer. If the subject applies to the position your trying for it gives it more value on top of that. Either way having the degree helps you that much more than not having it and will give you a better chance at the job assuming that your work experience in the field is the same as an applicant without a degree, and that there are no other major decideing factors (such as big difference in the appeal of your job interviews). I have an associates in computer programing and havent used any of the non basic skills in the job I got after graduation. Besides, even if you are using the information and skills when you actually get into the work environment you find that there are a lot of things you still need to learn or that its different anyway.
As far as respect, I try to hold everyone to a coureous value initially. I adjust my behavior toward them based on their own interactions with myself and my observations while attempting not to let others opinions shift my own too much. Really theres not much more you can do. Though I try to show a little more respect toward my non-peers who are in a higher position (such as a teacher/lead) unless they give me a reason not to or I become comfortable enough to interact with them as a peer(more casual interaction, joking around).
As far as achievements, beyond trying to make your own life or the lives of others better thrue the pay or satisfaction of the work, most people wont achieve much notoriety for their hard(or not so hard) work. Survival is primary, while everything else is ment to give at least the illusion that it is all for something or other. After all it never hurts to plan ahead or cover yourself just in case.
To add something a little more on topic its pretty true that a lot of the tested and learned information past elementry and early highschool is spotty as to its usefulness and application in the working world. Of course part of the reason for the array of subjects is to give a person a nice knowledge base to shoot from regardless of what kind of work they get into. I think the testing has more to do with teaching the importance of memory retention and identifying important information to retain more than anything else. That and you never know when an obscure piece of information or quote may come in handy on the job or in life in general. It also doesnt hurt when you realise that mandatory schooling is free and important for continued survival (though in my opinion there is a lot of survival type information that they dont cover in school). When you realize that you need to pay to get more schooling after which is required to live easier it becomes pretty important.

[DBHay]

I think the point trying to be made here is that Ranma doesn't respect many people, which in Japanese society is considered bad.
Happosai and Genma are two who constantly demand respect from Ranma and deserve little or none.
Was it a subtle point by Takahashi, poking fun at those who expect respect because of age or their rank yet really haven't earned any?
Or was it simply just another way of showing that Ranma is completely mannerless due to his upbringing?
Japanese society is very rigid and I think their Manga and Anime is their escape from the rules they live with, maybe Ranma's rudeness to authority figures is a secret wish of many Japanese people raised to show respect to their bosses, teachers and elders.
DBHay

[bissek]

Genma, Soun and Happosai have been master martial artists for a long time, but I think a good counter to that point would be from Terry Pratchett's "The Fifth Elephant" : My bum has been a bum for a very long time, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to anything it says.