Everybody picks a favorite!

[Jared Traveler]

"Everybody picks a favorite," is something my judo coach use to tell us. He told us that as much as judges and refs wanted and strived to be impartial, it's difficult to do.

Subconsciously we tend to instinctively pick favorites. If you turn on a boxing match, knowing nothing about the fighters, within a minute, you pick a favorite that you want to win.

We certainly all have our biases, and preferences that affect us more than we would like them to.

 

[Holmejr]

In MA, yes and no. Now if you were talking women’s tennis…

 

[Steve]

"Everybody picks a favorite," is something my judo coach use to tell us. He told us that as much as judges and refs wanted and strived to be impartial, it's difficult to do.

Subconsciously we tend to instinctively pick favorites. If you turn on a boxing match, knowing nothing about the fighters, within a minute, you pick a favorite that you want to win.

We certainly all have our biases, and preferences that affect us more than we would like them to.

Bias is a pretty interesting topic. Comes up a lot. Folks have biases for or against competition, some training styles or others. Though it's also true that some folks are more open minded and aware of their biases than others.

Self defense is an area where a lot of bias sneaks in.

 

[Jared Traveler]

Bias is a pretty interesting topic. Comes up a lot. Folks have biases for or against competition, some training styles or others. Though it's also true that some folks are more open minded and aware of their biases than others.

Self defense is an area where a lot of bias sneaks in.

Regarding self-defense also a lot of misinformation.

 

[Steve]

Regarding self-defense also a lot of misinformation.

For sure, but even there, whether something is misinformation or not depends on your biases and experiences. Lots of past conversations about self-defense around here, so not trying to beat a dead horse. Just pointing out that what you see often depends on where you sit. In other words, what you think is self-defense, others may not. There are a lot of legitimate definitions of that very abstract term.

Misinformation, whether intentional or through ignorance, is one thing. I don't think most people are intentionally trying to get one over on others, though I'm sure there are some. But when it comes to the topic of self-defense, biases play a huge role in creating tribes (at least on forums like this), misunderstanding, and a lot of stubbornness.

Point is, whether something is misinformation or not can actually depend on how you define self-defense. If you have a bias and that bias leads you to one conclusion, and someone else disagrees, you may think they're flat out wrong, and they could legitimately believe the same of you. I say this all the time, that we can just disagree on different things, but folks get hung up on insisting they are right and others are wrong.

 

[Jared Traveler]

For sure, but even there, whether something is misinformation or not depends on your biases and experiences. Lots of past conversations about self-defense around here, so not trying to beat a dead horse. Just pointing out that what you see often depends on where you sit. In other words, what you think is self-defense, others may not. There are a lot of legitimate definitions of that very abstract term.

Misinformation, whether intentional or through ignorance, is one thing. I don't think most people are intentionally trying to get one over on others, though I'm sure there are some. But when it comes to the topic of self-defense, biases play a huge role in creating tribes (at least on forums like this), misunderstanding, and a lot of stubbornness.

Point is, whether something is misinformation or not can actually depend on how you define self-defense. If you have a bias and that bias leads you to one conclusion, and someone else disagrees, you may think they're flat out wrong, and they could legitimately believe the same of you. I say this all the time, that we can just disagree on different things, but folks get hung up on insisting they are right and others are wrong.

Well said. Of course this is also why juries have to be educated during self-defense cases, because opinions don't always equal reality or truth. And why their is an appeal process when juries overstep based on bias or being mislead. Also why expert witness are called in to testify and clarify misleading information presented. Because certain aspects are only subjective in theory, but ultimately naive, unfair, or flat out wrong. When the rubber meets the road, there is still a lot of room for subjectivity, but many cold hard realities do exist.

 

[Steve]

Well said. Of course this is also why juries have to be educated during self-defense cases, because opinions don't always equal reality or truth. And why their is an appeal process when juries overstep based on bias or being mislead. Also why expert witness are called in to testify and clarify misleading information presented. Because certain aspects are only subjective in theory, but ultimately naive, unfair, or flat out wrong. When the rubber meets the road, there is still a lot of room for subjectivity, but many cold hard realities do exist.

Good example. Legal self-defense is a great way to define the term and makes a lot of sense. But I don't think of it that way at all. It's useful in some contexts. Less so in others.

 

[Jared Traveler]

Good example. Legal self-defense is a great way to define the term and makes a lot of sense. But I don't think of it that way at all. It's useful in some contexts. Less so in others.

I agree it is useful in some context and less so in others.

 

[Darren]

It’s gonna be a long damn night!!!! My 24/7 special needs son is in full wake mode!!!! Up all night long!!!!! I would rather be fight Bruce Lee then deal with this!!!!!!!