(Approx 2 minute 20 second read)

Something a little different today.
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People talk a lot about confirmation bias, Dunning–Kruger, and all the psychological reasons why some can’t see past their own viewpoint. You don’t need the labels. You see the behavior every day, people so stuck in their own little world that anything outside it is treated as a threat.
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I’ve learned something over the years: before you get into an argument, you have to ask yourself if the other person is even capable of seeing another perspective. If they’re not, there’s no point. You won’t get anywhere.
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Not every argument is worth your time. Some people listen only so they can fire back. They’re not interested in understanding. They want to “win”. All it does is drain you.
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There’s a difference between a real conversation and a pointless debate. A real conversation can be useful, even if you disagree. But trying to reason with someone whose mind is already closed is a waste of energy. You won’t change them.
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I don’t bother with online arguments anymore. Back and forth achieves nothing. I’d rather step away and write another article. It’s better for my mind. I’m too old to get dragged into silly disputes about who is right, who is wrong, whose style is better, or who has the “best” credentials. It’s nonsense.
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Maturity is knowing when to walk away. Not because you’re defeated, but because the discussion isn’t going anywhere. Some people will never see your point, no matter how clearly you explain it.
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And that’s fine. You don’t have to justify yourself to everyone.
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We have more information available now than ever before, yet people seem more confused than ever. Especially in the martial arts. The amount of nonsense online gets in the way of real training.
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Social media is part of the problem. It isn’t designed to teach. It’s designed to get reactions. That’s why the loudest, most dramatic posts get pushed to the top. Practical, straightforward information gets buried under opinions and ego.
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People scroll through reels and memes and think they’re learning something. They’re not.
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These short bits of content take complex ideas and reduce them to something quick and catchy. And quick and catchy is rarely correct.
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Plenty of accounts sound confident. Some actually know what they’re talking about, many don’t. But confidence and accuracy aren’t the same thing. Context gets lost, and common sense disappears.
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Algorithms make this worse. They feed you more of what you already think. That narrows people’s thinking and makes them defensive. It stops real understanding.
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I don’t have all the answers, but I do know this: clarity matters. Practicality matters. Integrity matters. If we want people to understand what karate is for, we need to cut through the noise and focus on reality.
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Trust comes from accountability. Question what you see. Check things before you repeat them. Don’t share something just because it gets attention. Be honest.
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My aim is simple: keep things practical and honest. Ask questions. Think for yourself. And when it all gets too noisy, turn off the phone and get back in the dojo. That’s where the real work happens.
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Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away. Not out of defeat, but because your peace is worth more than an online argument. You don’t win by arguing. You win by training.
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Written by Adam Carter – Shuri Dojo