I have noticed there seems to be a high number of people in the martial arts world that seem to fall for conspiracies very easily. Here for example is Andy Norman of Defence lab unironically sharing a natural news post. Imgur Is it due to the binary way of thinking that martial arts fosters? i.e we either hit something or we dont and there is no middle ground? or is it just a total and utter breakdown of critical reasoning skills?
- Impressionable people do martial arts too - There's been enough mysticism and funky joo joo stuff in martial arts history that, in at least some areas, its a natural jump to believe in alternative healing and whatnot - Related to the above, if you stereotype a conspiracy theorist you get the type of awkward, shy, nerdyish type person who I would see as a stereotype to be interested in martial arts too. If you're already into alternate healing and all that jazz, then the spiritual elements of martial arts will be a draw for you too. - Plenty of arrogant martial artists out there who believe only they've seen the light with regards to training and fighting etc, so maybe they then end up believing if everyone else is a sheep or ignorant in that area, maybe they are elsewhere too - Could be an element of the openness of martial arts. Like Joe Rogan can be fairly open to different martial arts styles, different instructors, various other things like that believing most arts offer at least some small, useful thing. When you're that open to everything having some value in martial arts, I could understand starting to think Eastern medicine and some other stuff might well have value too that we just don't appreciate in the West. - Cults are a big one, especially in BJJ as an example. There's such a subculture in bjj and hero worshipping of idols that guys that would be deemed conspiracy theorists and a bit crazy in the normal world (Eddie Bravo being a good example) have rabid followings who are willing to believe them in anything else. Goes triple for the Gracies. Just a few ideas off the top of my head
But is the % of MA folks who fall for so called conspiracies or other garbage any greater than in the general population? Perhaps,but I see no real reason to think so. Critical reasoning? Overheard a discussion of anything of a sociopolitical nature by people with opposing viewpoints? Likely to hear more entrenched opinions than reasoned debate.Not just in the US,either. Look at vaccines and autism.Lame "study" totally blown out of proportion by the UK media,discredited,and yet now big in the US.The Left" decries "The Right" denying science as regards climate change,yet science denial is what many on "The Left" are engaging in in the matter of the vaccine/autism issue-or non-issue,really. Go figure....Thanks,Oprah. And some things just get popular and people hop on the bus. Such as using terms like "binary thinking" -quite common in pop culture in the last 30-40 years as a criticism or derogatory term.
A) there's a lot of stupid people in the world B) some styles of MA attract those who are more gullible C) people think because they're good at one thing (MA) that they also might be good at other things (critical evaluation of anything else, especially science/medical things) D) people tend to listen to MA coaches opinions about lots of things Non MA based. Which all ends up create the perfect storm that is the Joe rogan podcast. It's important to remember, "joe rogan is just Oprah for blokes."
