I tried to give you a positive way of looking at what you have already learned from the technique stand point and how YOU can separate technique from form and use your knowledge to better defend yourself.
If you are this unhappy with your school then you should find a better one. If the Jiu Jitsu is better suited to what you want then go there. I have a foundation in Old World (WW2 era) Japanese JiuJitsu (JuJutsu) and Karate, they compliment each other quite well. If you have spent 4+ years training and have learned nothing (even from a "McDojo" instructor) then half the blame is on you. Even a poor instructor has information that can be useful,... if you are smart enough to figure out how it should be used. Unless you are capable of taking learned technique and applying it in some fashion then no matter which school you go to it will always be just "form structure" and "routine combinations and drills" in your mind.
No one can teach you how to apply your knowledge in every situation. Combative situations are ALL different, and they all change as they develop. It is impossible for ANY instructor to teach you what to do in every instance, it is up to you to be able to adapt you knowledge and improvise to meet the threat. You have to be able to "relax" your techniques and allow your subconscious mind to apply knowledge as it is needed. The information is there if you've been training (as you said before) for more than 4 years, you have to trust yourself. If that is something you can not do, then you can not blame your teacher.
You're problem is clearly with the your teacher. The school you attend must not know how to teach self defense.
If you're not learning self defense, or the at the beginning stages of it (with fundamental techniques), then you're not learning a martial art. Shotokan isn't the problem here, so don't go blaming the style. It sounds as though the school and the teacher is a major problem if you haven't even learned any locks, holds, or moves, let alone the application for them in self defense.
A black belt itself doesn't mean a thing. As you pointed out, anyone can "earn" a black belt given the (lack of) quality of the school.
All martial arts teach self defense. It's in the very name. You need to find a place that isn't a business, but a serious martial art school. You're going to have to look past all the billboards and fancy organizations. Any style can be a rotten place when the teacher doesn't know what he/she is doing. Find a good teacher.
Short and quick answer. Gi for Jui Jitsu if available. I got to 2nd dan level in Tae Kwon Do which is similar to Shotokan and I never learned any proper self defence techniques. Later I took up Aikido which I enjoy very much. Go for a martial art that is about self defence.
Edit: I hope you're not pertaining to me as the OP? I said that in TKD I did not learn "proper" self defence. In TKD there was focus on other aspects and we only got self defence techniques once in a blue moon, and most if it concentrated on hitting your opponent which I don't consider proper self defence. Sure you stop your attacker but soon afterwards you will be lifted by the police and charged down at the cells. "Proper" self defence is taking control of your attacker and the situation and subduing/immobilization of said attacker/s.
You're lying plain and simple.
Help me I done shotokan karate to learn about self defence since my area is rubbish, I am now a black belt training for 2nd dan, but I have learnt ziltch/nada/zero/squat/******* self defence, all I know is to run away I know 0 locks, 0 holds, 0 moves, 0 anything if there was anything less then knowing nothing in self defence I am it! I was sold a lie by shotokan karate this mcdojo told me "self defence" but its costing me a lot ￡8 for a hour, plus its not part of the JKA so its syllabus is "self made" along with its "belts for 10 year olds", they also have one competition a year! That's right one! Which is a interclub competition pretty useless because they are not part of jka I can't even make it to the national or internationals in the UK or world for that matter?! So shall I either join a jka club which is ￡5 but I goto drive for 20mins since they may be better and have some self defence training that mcdojo doesn't have? Or do jiu jitsu which is the same price but you start from scratch and it looks pretty cool self defence as its a self defence art? Help me out guys and gals!
