Media and Martial Arts

How much of the perception of Self-defense and Violence is based on media?

I feel a fundamental basis in reality to self-defense and even violence is necessary to set a baseline for teaching and practicing self-defense. Society is inundated with media, i.e. youtube, movies, television, magazines, newspapers, facebook, twitter and many more which tends to influence perceptions. It is also my theory that in most cases people "assume" that what they hear, read, feel, touch and smell tends to be real or tends to be accurate or factual.

To seperate the chaff from the wheat one needs some foundation, basis or base line of experience to keep their feet on the ground. It is especially important when we receive information from perceived "experts" since that perception tends to shut down our brains regarding skepticism, etc. When ever I hear or perceive "expert" I try to remind myself that I should take it all in with a bit of skepticism and then, regardless of whether it is an expert view or not, vet the data for myself with at least two or three sources I feel are valid and reliable - regardless of how I perceive said expert as reliable and valid.

How would you deal with someone who had no actual experience to draw on? I would then determine that persons sources for if that persons sources were valid and reliable I would accept that but would tend to validate it as the training went forward. I would not hesitate to question things either and that is another aspect of "expert" status along with skepticism, ask questions and expect adequate answers - this is not Japan where the culture expects you to perceive it without verbal communications.

Back to the media aspect, we tend to allow media way to much control. When we read the news we assume it is an expert view and complete with all the pertinent data but often, more often than not, it is incomplete and slanted toward sales, drama and a particular viewpoint. Look at the program on Showtime called Penn and Teller's Bullshit program. The program is geared to express things as if they were bullshit. You can take any subject regardless of its validty, etc. and slant it to say it is bullshit, that is the reason the show is on and popular.

There is nothing I have written in the last ten years that cannot be placed under the "bullshit" heading and those who do or would can justify their viewpoints in a manner that would make me a believe if I shut down my skeptics mind.

Even the cell phone video's that end up on youtube in viral status are not the full story. There is always a story before the video begins, there are stories within the video that cannot be readily perceived, then there are stories after the video stops. Things are a lot deeper than they are perceived to be. If not then the video's on their own could and would convict. At best they are coupled with "other evidence" and used to either convict or not convict.

The danger to us comes when media gets some "expert" to comment on such incomplete and inaccurate video's or media in general where our minds assume, once again, that this person is an expert so I MUST believe what is said - NOT, remember skepticism!

Last, even when vetted don't assume it is accurate for its accuracy is also fleeting because each moment in life might change things and what was accurate and valid may become inaccuract and invalid - think about it, THINK, right?