Originally Posted by
vdesire
Not fighter bashing, human bashing. The fact she is a fighter is incidental
It's a tough call making a judgement on someone that you've probably never met, trained with, or understand what they're going through. One thing I've learned about in life is that stress is relative. I have stressors in my life, but then someone on social media might say, "Oh woe is you, you live in a first world country with first world problems when there are people around the world who are truly suffering." That's not the point. You're not living in my life, you don't understand the upbringing, the values, the hopes/dreams that were challenged or broken that someone has to internally deal with. Particularly the fact that it's not by choice that she's dealing with this. Stress is relative. Maybe it's a good point to acknowledge that I ought not to complain, given that I DO have it good relative to some people. but if Ellen Degeneres invited me to her show, I'd probably open up about whatever it is that is bothering me in my life. That's what healthy people do. She ought to be commended for opening up. Someone in our position would look at her and, in your instance, might think, "oh woe is you Ronda. You have millions of dollars, millions of fans, and you're contemplating suicide because you lost a fight. Boo hoo." It's unfair to think like that. I'd feel better honestly if you were fighter bashing, but human bashing kinda walks that fine line of commenting and critiquing versus being flat out disrespectful and hateful. She's a fighter by trade. It's her life. It probably consumes her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. She has said in previous interviews that she doesn't know what she would do if she ever lost a fight, and doesn't want to think about it. What happens? BOOM. Reality hits her in the face by way of a roundhouse kick. She's dealing with what she's dealing with. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and most certainly physically. Respect what she does, not who she is. Much like any professional athlete. You can't put them on a pedestal in terms of your perception of how they should carry themselves. Is she a role model, or a 'spoilt brat huffy child?" Either way, whatever she is or whatever she is supposed to be is merely one's perception. She is who she is. Just like a lot of black belts. I've met black belts that, after hearing them talk at length and hearing their philosophy, I wonder why anyone would want to train with them. I've met other black belts that have a huge loyal following and it has to do with much more than their jiu jitsu, but rather the type of person they are. Invariably though, I show respect to every black belt because of what they've done and the time they've put in to get to that point. None of us can do or have done what Ronda has done. At least, not on the level that she's done it. That in itself is commendable.
Guys like Peyton Manning are pretty rare, the types that walk the walk but also carry themselves with a certain grace, virtually always saying the right things in interviews; deferring to teammates, saying how grateful they are, how he's gonna drink a Budweiser, etc.
Ronda's reaction to losing ought to be seen as the duality of her attitude as we've seen before. Her behavior shouldn't be unexpected. She's said things in the media about other fighters that haven't been very nice. She's refused to shake a fighter's hand before or after a fight. She has effectively shown that she isn't necessarily very graceful in victory. Now, we are witnessing what she is like in defeat. This should come as no surprise. Even still, it's a fine line you walk between discussion and discourse versus flat-out trolling based on the way you framed your post.
Empathy is an elusive human trait. It entails understanding and putting yourself in the position that someone is going through in an effort to realize the emotions and feelings that they are experiencing. It is arguably one of the toughest human characteristics to develop. It requires going outside of ourselves, outside of our worlds, outside of our prejudices and biases, in an effort to attempt to understand how that person is thinking, and explanations for why they are saying certain things or exhibiting certain behaviors. Many people lack the intellectual capacity or emotional wherewithal to think, feel, or act on this level. I would not recommend being one of these types of people.
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