just like sensi

A question for those of you wiser then I. Is it that we find instructors that we agree with or that they give us our point of view?
Of course I'm sure that the answer is somewhere in the middle, but none the less, most of us, especially those who feel the need to share our opinions, have an almost rabid agreement with sensei in all things. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, I often wonder if we realize how much is our own opinion and how much we've just purloined from our teacher.
For me I've noticed that I have a general skepticism towards styles or dojos that put an inordinate amount of importance on ritual. (by the way I would say in my opinion for that, but then it’s my blog so I’m going assume that you catch that this is of course in my opinion and not a statement of fact obvious to all peoples in the world)
Least ways, ritual. Mr. Geis (For the most part, I call him Karl, or “the man”, or boss dude or coach, or of course, Mr. Geis, but rarely sensei) has before voiced his own skepticism towards teachers that enforce a great deal of ritual. So I wonder, did I agree before and that's why I ended up where I did or did my opinion come later. I guess it doesn't really matter.
For me, I am skeptical of the over ritualistic dojo for two reason.
1. It would drive me nuts. Keeping track of how to fold up my gi when I’m done with class... or even worse having a special way to fold up the hakima plus the belt. That doesn't interest me. Now, I want to be clear, these are not bad things, if ever there're (is that a word?) visitors that do care, I'm not bagging your way sweet reader, just saying it ain't for me.
I saw a dojo where they cared which foot you placed on the mat first. This would take a lot of the fun out of the act of doing the thing for me. I love the relaxed feel of our club. We don't bow much and almost everything’s in English. Most of us wad up our gi's after class. After judo I try to spread my out in the trunk of my car so it'll dry out. I can get an extra day of use in this manner, since I hate laundry, this is a huge bonus.

The aikido club and the judo group take turns keeping the mat vacuumed but this is an exercise in futility. Those damn judo Neanderthals are just so damn hairy there’s always hair somewhere.

There’s dust all over the place, but if you’re bold enough to suggest that it needs cleaning the boss “suggests” that you’re focused on the wrong thing.

2. My bigger “worry” is that the instructor is hiding bad technique/knowledge behind the guise of ritual. If you can’t ask any questions or you’re not allowed to have an opinion because ritual says that new guys don’t have opinions its harder to figure out if what you’re learning is bull.

I’ve seen, on the sweet internet, stories of lower ranked dudes knowing that their “sempi” was working to hard and going to hurt them, but unwilling to speak up, of course they end up on the sidelines with bustedness. To me (again I guess an unnecessary qualifier because this is MY blog) this is insane.

To be honest, I’m not really sure what folding my pants has to do with aikido, but then, it doesn’t seem to be all that important to coach, so I guess I’m in the right place.

I’m sure good martial arts goes on in places where the nature of the environment would preclude me from enjoying the process and thus participating. But, I guess I think it’s less likely then in a place without the accruements of ritual.