Why do men who have no experience in actual fights, keep proclaiming they are good at fighting?
The internet has turned everyone into a fighting expert.
This question probably never existed in ancient times, or times before the internet (the invention of the world wide web). Often times in real life, if anyone thought they were good at fighting, they usually pick fights in public or social settings or end up provoking the wrong person.
A fight then breaks out, the winner is usually decided very quickly, and the person who overestimated themselves are beaten up and quickly humbled.
Not only was "reality" the ever present judge on who was actually good at fighting and "humble pie" kept everyone's egos in check - but coupled with how someone looks like in real life (as opposed to hiding behind an internet profile) and their perceived physical attributes (if your opponent was taller or larger), conventional wisdom tells us the one with the better physical attributes would likely be the winner of a fight.
The reality is most people in the modern city-dwelling world have very little to no idea how a real fight plays out because they largely live a sedentary lifestyle and serious martial arts training is more of an afterthought or fun hobby rather than a required life skill.
However, since the internet and social media became a standard part of every day life, men who fancy themselves a "good fighter" because they've had some form of martial arts training, begin to overestimate their own abilities because the "online world" has become their shield and protection from what used to be taught to everyone fairly quickly - fists to the face and being put into punishing positions as the fight eventually ended up on the ground.
Here are some of the most common reasons why some men who have no experience in actual fights proclaim that they are good at fighting.
Overconfidence
After training some form of martial arts for a little while, some men may have an inflated sense of their own abilities and believe that they are good at fighting without actually having any real life experience or competition experience facing off against other trained fighters. This can lead to them boasting about their skills even if they have no real basis for doing so.
A lot of men on the internet behave like overzealous internet trolls - acting like they are really good at fighting but would actually run at the first sight of danger or would never accept a fight against another person if/when challenged.
Lack of Knowledge
Some men may not have a clear understanding of what actual fighting entails, and may assume that they can easily handle themselves in a physical altercation based on their size, strength, or past experiences (such as playing contact sports or doing "friendly sparring" with their peers - but not actually fighting).
Many martial artists train casually and as a hobby, and don't actually spar hard or take full contact fights. This builds up a false sense of reality because they never actually put themselves in a non-compliant scenario where their opponent is trying to seriously hurt or inflict damage on them.
Need For Validation
Men may feel the need to prove their masculinity and toughness to others, and may use claims of being good at fighting as a way to gain respect or admiration from their peers.
Known for having real life fights during his time in prison, Danny Trejo is a pretty intimidating figure, and a symbol of fear and rugged masculinity.
Media Influence
Some men may be influenced by media depictions of fighting and may believe that they can easily handle themselves in a physical altercation based on what they have seen in movies, TV shows, or video games.
Most men probably fantasize or fancy themselves as someone like Achilles in Troy (played by Brad Pitt), a mighty warrior who could take on all comers no matter their size or strength or abilities.
It's important to note that making false claims about one's fighting ability can be dangerous and may lead to overestimating one's abilities in a real fight, potentially leading to injury or even death.
It's always best to seek out proper training under a reputable martial arts coach with actual fighting / competitive fighting experience - if one is interested in developing their fighting skills.
Not only that, but one should spar, spar, spar, and actually take competitive fights / bouts to build up your confidence, skills, and experience. Only then, may you stand a chance against someone in a real, non-compliant fight.
- Dynasty Team