I have a lot of insanely smart friends who argue about some insanely dumb shit. I understand why. We all have our pet peeves. Like my inability to let go how badly fitpros ignore all of behavioral science when talking about motivation. And don’t get me started on people wasting their lives searching for their why…
We all have an innate desire to be right. It helps us to further our ideas and also to cement social status. These things were vital in our evolution over time and they are likely quite important in the business of fitness and nutrition. But as I’ve written on in the past, it is much more important to be effective rather than right. Winning an argument might plug a dopamine hole but if it hasn’t furthered your cause what use was it?
Often, particularly in the world of social media, “winning” an argument just means riling up a bunch of people who already agree with you. It’s not so much about creating a positive environment for change as it is about showing up the other. The issue becomes that arguments exist outside of the intent behind the argument.
“Keto is stupid.”
No, it’s not. It holds utility in a wide variety of applications from TBI to fat loss. It might not be my preferred method for fat loss but it has been studied and supported for decades both through it’s mechanisms and through troves of observational data that has created a very emotionally attached fan base. People who have lost massive weight and credit a keto diet. And guess what? They aren’t wrong. It worked for them.
“A keto diet is suboptimal for athletes looking to build muscle.”
This is a statement that can be backed up by research and would be hard to argue. People might try, but both the physiological and observational research are pretty definitive here. There’s also not an ad hominem hidden within the directive. But that doesn’t drive likes and shares and engagement.
Here is where we can apply the “right vs effective” test. Are we trying to be right or effective?
There are countless examples blasted among my social media each day. Divisive statements meant to rally the troops and create an enemy. And they are effective. Very rarely do we see the best information shared and spread, just the simplest and most affirming.
Social media is no place for education. In depth and nuanced conversations require a malleable mind and a growth mindset. They require self awareness and a willingness to question our own biases. These things are all woefully absent in an industry that, ironically, champions them as virtues. Growth occurs best in a real time environment among people exchanging real ideas and not spending hours posting comments then running to pubmed to search for the research to back them up. Actual critical thinking in real time becomes collaborative and is why I love professional seminars. Sitting around a table in the lobby of a hotel in the Midwest at 2am. Or isolating with peers in the jungles of Costa Rica with the intent of coming out the best we can possibly be.
Most of my friends in the industry are right, even when they are in opposition. There are shades of grey spread between the black and white positions that marketing determines. The issue becomes when we aren’t cognizant that we are being marketers and not educators. There is a big difference. They can coexist but it is a delicate balance. If your only angle is proving that everyone else is wrong, you might not be part of the solution.
