popular opinion and self defense 
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL

September 29, 2020 

Popularity is a fickle thing. When it comes to music, entertainment, TV shows, clothing, etc, popularity is the measure of success: People like it, people watch it, people listen to it, people wear it, you have yourself a hit. However even in these industries there is also the critics awards; a show might be popular among the fans but considered a piece of shallow trash among the critics. A work might be considered a literary masterpiece by the educated literary world but flop on the stage of the Cretans who buy the tickets. Popular opinion does not judge quality, it just means people like it. However when it comes to entertainment that is what it is about, Let us entertain you. When it comes to self defense, popularity is a very poor gage and an incorrect way to judge a system. Being popular but dead is of no value.

Social media has many benefits and many drawbacks. It is a wonderful way to share photos with family members living far away, it is also a good way to promote a business. But the drawbacks are serious as well. Incorrect information is often shared, and believed, and this includes Krav Maga and self-defense techniques. 

It is easy to make something look good on video, there is an entire industry dedicated to that; you have your choreographers, your sound and light men, dance coaches, stunt men, etc. Thus a wise person should be careful and discerning when viewing video footage. It is easy to fool people, the age of video makes it easier. 

I will get to the point. I do not believe one can learn, or even get an accurate view of a system, by watching a few short videos online. Those videos are dressed to impress and unless you are an expert you will be fooled. A fool and his money quickly are separated.

Let me ask you a question; when you have a medical issue, do you go on-line for medical advice or do you consult with your doctor? Are you one of those who tells your doctor "But I read an article on line that says....". I am sure doctors simply love those kinds of patients. For this very reason doctors are not allowed to advertise, it is too important an issue to be left to the whims of marketing men and film producers, whose trade is to create Fantasy. What is Disney known for? For creating wonderful fantasies. Do not choose your doctor or Krav Maga instructor based on Hollywood gimmicks. 

Now this is an issue that troubles me. On Social Media people share videos demonstrating self defense techniques. Friends view these and comment: Wow, Totally cool, Bad Ass, Awesome etc. But the problem is they don't know Diddly Squat about self-defense, they are judging it the same way a child would judge a movie, i.e. it looks totally awesome. 

Only it isn't. It is actually awful. A professional can look at it and say, well look how much danger you put yourself into. Did you notice that as you do that wrist defense you are actually entering the assailants quadrant of power? No, you did not. 

Did you realize that instead of getting away from the attacker you actually fell into his trap and let yourself be drawn into a situation from which there is no escape? No, you had not noticed that, but it sure looked cool. 

Did you realize that against a stronger opponent that little flip and turn over will never work? Nope...and so on and so on. So I see these horribly incorrect videos and they are accompanied by dozens of comments praising the cool technique, this is popular opinion but it is not professional opinion. And unlike Television popular opinion here counts for nothing, nothing at all.  

So when I see a cute blonde in military fatigues, her hair being grabbed from behind by a muscular man, and she turns around and starts to punch him, with her long blonde ponytail swinging in the air, and Krav Maga students who should know better do a "Like", this upsets me. What would really happen is as she turns around she will either be pulled down to the ground and brutally raped, or as she turns towards him she will be greeted with a knockout punch to her pretty face. But no, you had not thought about that. You only noticed that she is really cute. 

So let's be like medical practitioners, let us take our work seriously and not seek popular approval from who don't know our profession. Lets' stop posting cool videos, let's stop commenting on cool and sexy videos. Let's focus on real self defense. Because all lives matter. 

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