Social Media Naysayers

[Hot Lunch]

This has been getting under my skin for a few years now, and I'm wondering if it's just me. I find that, more often than not, I'm the sole voice of reason (or, at least I'd like to think I am) in these situations.

In particular, a karate dojo may have a public page on facebook or instagram. Or maybe a page for karate enthusiasts posts various videos from many different karate dojos and tournaments on its page.

And it never fails: at least half of the comments on the page say something to the effect of "They just hand out black belts to anybody these days."

I've seen people in the comments say this about famous WKF champions. I've seen people say this in the comments section of a video of Morio Higaonna demonstrating techniques about a year ago, and I saw it just a few days ago in the comments section of Hirokazu Kanazawa performing a kata. Obviously, they didn't know who they were criticizing in these cases.

So I should simply write these guys off as haters who have no clue what they're talking about, right?

Not exactly. When you check out the profiles of some of these haters, there are quite a few renshis and kyoshis among them.

Alot of these guys in the videos are way better than I am or ever expect to be, and they're getting dragged through the mud in the comments.

For those of you who've observed this on social media, is the bashing valid? Or are these guys simply haters trying to feel superior?

 

[Same Trick]

now a days I’m mostly a Taiji practicing guy, but I was previously quite involved in Karate for 20+ years having trained with, competed against top competitors, I know those guys have genuine skill.
And here I’m now hearing from somevpeople in the Taijiquan and similar communities scoffing in a superior tone that Karate kumite is unrealistic because it’s not full contact fighting, this I find somewhat annoying in a fun sense

 

[Dirty Dog]

Trolls exist. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Why do you care if they disagree with you?

 

[isshinryuronin]

When you check out the profiles of some of these haters, there are quite a few renshis and kyoshis among them.

Regarding these guys, the answer is below:

"They just hand out black belts to anybody these days."

 

[Gyakuto]

Trolls exist. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Why do you care if they disagree with you?

…that maybe the case but opinions are not of equal value and unfortunately that is for the reader to assess.

 

[opr1945]

In many cases the majority is wrong.

 

[opr1945]

opinions are like noses, everybody has one, some are just better looking than others.

 

[Gyakuto]

opinions are like noses, everybody has one, some are just better looking than others.

If someone is knowledgeable in a certain area, say, car mechanics, their opinions on the way to keep a car spick and span throughout it’s life, are very valuable. Her opinion on how to run the economy of a major country, may not be.

 

[Hot Lunch]

Trolls exist. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Why do you care if they disagree with you?

Since they seem to be the vast majority in the comments section, I'm questioning whether or not I'm the one who's wrong. I can also say that I can pick any random dojo to walk into, and I'd be hard pressed to find anyone in there as good as the people in these videos.

And I'm not saying that the people in these random dojos "suck" at all. Kata and kihon are training tools for the betterment of the practitioner first and foremost, and the important thing is that they can translate these movements into a self-defense scenario. They're not supposed to be for aesthetics where other people are judging you. But when you walk into a random dojo and see people doing kata, they're not doing "competition level" kata. There isn't a single dojo you can walk into where everyone looks like Rika Usami and Sandra Sanchez.

 

[opr1945]

According to studies I have read if you go into a business and have a great experience you are likely to share your positive experience with 3-5 other people. If, on the other hand, you have a bad experience you are likely to share your experience with 10-14 people. Negativity seems to motivate people to share their negativity at a hi9gher level than positivity.

Or, as my father used to say, people aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.

This is why when doing surveys about evaluating something it is important to have a representative sample. Self reporting tends to emphasize the negative. Entertainment shows that focus on negative behavior, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, all court shows, are more popular than shows that focus on the positive, of which I cannot immediately, think of an example.

This does not address the qualifications of the poster as mentioned above, which is also a serious issue.

Using internet self reporting to gain an accurate opinion of anything is a fool's folly in my opinion.

 

[Steve]

According to studies I have read if you go into a business and have a great experience you are likely to share your positive experience with 3-5 other people. If, on the other hand, you have a bad experience you are likely to share your experience with 10-14 people. Negativity seems to motivate people to share their negativity at a hi9gher level than positivity.

I’ve heard similar things over the years. But I’m not sure if it’s true or apocryphal.

Or, as my father used to say, people aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.

sorry I can’t quickly put my fingers on where I read this, but something like only one in 25 people who have a bad experience actually complain. Most just leave and never return.

This is why when doing surveys about evaluating something it is important to have a representative sample. Self reporting tends to emphasize the negative. Entertainment shows that focus on negative behavior, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, all court shows, are more popular than shows that focus on the positive, of which I cannot immediately, think of an example.

This does not address the qualifications of the poster as mentioned above, which is also a serious issue.

Using internet self reporting to gain an accurate opinion of anything is a fool's folly in my opinion.

Yeah agreed on all accounts though surveys are their own art and science. A half baked survey can skew wildly from reality.

 

[HighKick]

This has been getting under my skin for a few years now, and I'm wondering if it's just me. I find that, more often than not, I'm the sole voice of reason (or, at least I'd like to think I am) in these situations.

In particular, a karate dojo may have a public page on facebook or instagram. Or maybe a page for karate enthusiasts posts various videos from many different karate dojos and tournaments on its page.

And it never fails: at least half of the comments on the page say something to the effect of "They just hand out black belts to anybody these days."

I've seen people in the comments say this about famous WKF champions. I've seen people say this in the comments section of a video of Morio Higaonna demonstrating techniques about a year ago, and I saw it just a few days ago in the comments section of Hirokazu Kanazawa performing a kata. Obviously, they didn't know who they were criticizing in these cases.

So I should simply write these guys off as haters who have no clue what they're talking about, right?

Not exactly. When you check out the profiles of some of these haters, there are quite a few renshis and kyoshis among them.

Alot of these guys in the videos are way better than I am or ever expect to be, and they're getting dragged through the mud in the comments.

For those of you who've observed this on social media, is the bashing valid? Or are these guys simply haters trying to feel superior?

You are the sole voice of reason? Wow.

 

[Hot Lunch]

You are the sole voice of reason? Wow.

Impossible, right? This must mean that all the vitriol in the comments is justified. Maybe?

 

[opr1945]

I used to spend a lot of time stressing out about things I could have little to no impact on. Opinions by others that did not impact me little if any. Majoring in the minors so to speak.

Eventually, I came to be of the opinion that if something didn't cost me money or cause me to loose blood from my body I should let it go.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

BUT, since I have retired I find that I am reverting to my old behaviors, as several of you have pointed out. I have discovered that my world has little use for a weak, short, fat, little old man. So to amuse myself I spend lots of time surfing the internet and get interested in thing that don't have much impact on my actual life and I post about them. Here and other places. And invest more in them than I should.

But, I don't stress over them like I used to. If, in your opinion. you are "... the sole voice of reason." Go with it. I feel the same way about myself.

 

[Gyakuto]

I used to spend a lot of time stressing out about things I could have little to no impact on. Opinions by others that did not impact me little if any. Majoring in the minors so to speak.

Eventually, I came to be of the opinion that if something didn't cost me money or cause me to loose blood from my body I should let it go.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

BUT, since I have retired I find that I am reverting to my old behaviors, as several of you have pointed out. I have discovered that my world has little use for a weak, short, fat, little old man. So to amuse myself I spend lots of time surfing the internet and get interested in thing that don't have much impact on my actual life and I post about them. Here and other places. And invest more in them than I should.

But, I don't stress over them like I used to. If, in your opinion. you are "... the sole voice of reason." Go with it. I feel the same way about myself.

Don’t seek for affirmation from outwith yourself, but from within. At the very least, you and your posts are valued here not least because you sometimes make us smile.

 

[MuayJitsu]

If someone puts something online people have every right to comment on it. Yes sometimes it’s just people trash talking for the sake of it but sometimes it can be valid criticism. I’ve seen plenty of videos of people wearing black belts that look terrible so it definitely is possible it’s valid criticism now I’ve never commented anything because honestly I don’t care what they do. Seems like you’re worried about what strangers are saying about other people….just get on with what you’re doing and let those people sort their own dramas out

 

[Hot Lunch]

If someone puts something online people have every right to comment on it. Yes sometimes it’s just people trash talking for the sake of it but sometimes it can be valid criticism. I’ve seen plenty of videos of people wearing black belts that look terrible so it definitely is possible it’s valid criticism now I’ve never commented anything because honestly I don’t care what they do. Seems like you’re worried about what strangers are saying about other people….just get on with what you’re doing and let those people sort their own dramas out

Honestly, this response is to be expected from someone who has a bone to pick with TMA.

 

[isshinryuronin]

Honestly, this response is to be expected from someone who has a bone to pick with TMA.

As a TMA man I didn't see anything bad/incorrect in the referred to quote. MuayJitsu's opinions seem valid to me. Maybe you're reading too much into it.

 

[MuayJitsu]

Honestly, this response is to be expected from someone who has a bone to pick with TMA.

I’m a third degree black belt in Kenpo karate and a brown belt in ishinryu karate. No I don’t train those anymore but I still respect the styles….please feel free to share anything that I’ve said that “has a bone to pick with tma” or…let me guess…you saw my username and jumped to conclusions.


I do find it amusing you’ve made a thread about people talking trash online and when I give an opinion you jump straight in making assumptions and talking trash to me….