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1. Mark,

   Thanks for the links. But this does raise the question of when you might have to (or at least be better served from a time efficiency standpoint) rely on trusted/carefully vetted “second-hand sources” for information, since investigating every claim would be, quite literally, impossible. For example, you may not be infallible in the literal sense, nor would you ever claim to be so being the humble pro that you are, but this is precisely why I would be apt to trust any and all information from you. You always do your due diligence on any topic; allow data vs. emotion to persuade you rather than seduce you; never claim to be the end all, be all on any topic; and your sense of genuine care for those who encounter your work is palpable.

   I suppose I am curious about when to trust second hand information, simply because even the most brilliant mind with a solid research background and a nearly photographic memory/ability to read and comprehend at a greatly accelerated rate can only wade through a fraction of what is out there on any given topic, let alone a whole slew of topics. Additionally even the most attuned analysts will typically have a “pet” area or two where they focus the lion’s share of their attention. Contrast that with many folks who have no concentrated interest in any given area and simply want to live well, go about their other business, and make daily choices without feeling like they need to read through stacks of research first or constantly be second guessing most of what they are doing.

   Mind you, I am not at all downplaying the value of quality research, merely recognizing that a lot of people just don’t get excited about the prospect of reading it, and as such don’t have the necessary desire to do so effectively. Some would portray these folks as gullible lemmings ripe for the picking, but I like to think of them simply as regular Joes and Janes who would rather be out living life than poring over research. I have nothing but respect for those with the patience and aptitude to read through and critically analyze research, but admittedly, it can be a tedious task even for those who view it as a labor of love, let alone those who view it as a chore, bore, or something they’d rather not get involved in…………………in a sense, you either need to be fully immersed in staying current with research, or pay it no mind. I can’t see there being much middle ground, if only because that would likely lead to having only a partial view of the picture, instead of a more complete sense of the current state in that area. And this happy medium is likely a dangerous no-man’s land, since you may jump to erroneous conclusions from possessing only a slice of a much larger pie. Better to be all in or all out, in my humble opinion, and I would suspect that these are the major camps as it is, namely the research hounds and those who have never read a study a day in their life. And if not knee-deep in the body of research on any given topic, this would appear to indicate a need for reliable second-hand sources to turn to when in need of solid, readily usable information.

   Am I way off the mark (no pun intended) on this one?

   Thank you kindly for reading my post, and most especially for always providing thought-provoking quality of the highest pedigree. You’re a genuine class act.

   Comment by Kent Dorfmon — August 23, 2010 @ 6:27 PM

2. Hi Kent!

   I think you make a very good point that we do have to rely on others for information since time is obviously limited for all of us. I have a large number of people that I turn to who are stronger in some areas than I am. I have contacts in both the academic and applied exercise science world and I rely on many for insight where I fall short.

   At the same time, I do realize that this puts me at risk of being influenced by their personal understanding of the material. Even the information I write (as impartial as I try to make it) is influenced by my experiences, beliefs, and biases.

   Perhaps the key isn’t to avoid using others to gain insight, but always question the source of your information and their biases. And don’t allow yourself to be “sold” on an idea purely because of acceptance of the masses or any organization.

   Comment by markyoung — August 24, 2010 @ 3:18 PM

3. [...] a Mark Young blog where he provides four cool links. First, he links three additional articles that deliver death [...]

   Pingback by Good Reads for the Week « Bret's Blog — August 26, 2010 @ 5:38 PM

4. Mark,

   Would it be fair to say that simply being aware of our own and the potential biases of the sources we choose to trust (coupled with a willingness to at least consider investigating areas we feel we may be “too trusting”) is a large step to avoid being steered down some very strange rabbit holes?

   On a personal note, I know that I often struggle with feeling stuck between being someone who wants to avoid being a lemming who parrots others and merely perpetuates various memes, and yet my desire to deeply explore various topics waxes and wanes at times (for my favorite areas), and can be non-existent at others (for those that I enjoy far less, regardless of potential personal utility). In short, my personality type compels me (and this is something I am working on reprogramming, although it will be a very monumental task, for sure)to explore every potential avenue or just not bother in the first place. I’m seemingly incapable of starting, calling it a day when I have had enough, and then picking back up again at some point. So much for balance, right?

   I seem to be burning holes in my retinas or out and about just trying to ignore the self-imposed mental clutter, instead of searching for some happy medium. In fact, I actually feel trapped a lot of the time, because I now know enough to realize how little I know and that blind acceptance of many popular sources is a risky policy to follow, and yet I am not personally passionate enough about analyzing research to relish the process, so much so that it ends up feeling like a chore I will grudgingly do vs. one I adore doing. In effect, I am stuck in the middle, unwilling to just say “screw it” and yet not dedicated enough to be performing thorough reviews (I am not even naive enough to perform hasty and suspect reviews of the various literature on specific topics and then pretend like I know what I am talking about, hah, hah)

   It may sound absurd, but I often find myself envying those who simply don’t think twice about it and go about their lives without analyzing (or in my case the tendency to hyperanalyze) things. I suppose this is all just par for the course when you mix a personality that naturally trends toward neurotic tendencies with an infinite amount of information available, both of unsurpassed and dubious quality.

   Comment by Kent Dorfmon — August 29, 2010 @ 5:36 AM

5. Kent,

   I don’t think you’re alone. As they say, ignorance is bliss. If you don’t know what it is that you don’t know you could go plugging along through life pretty easily I think. It is when you are aware of the vast amount of good information out there (coupled with an even larger amount of junk) that you can feel overwhelmed and not want to bother starting at all. Many days, I feel the same way.

   By the same token, I feel it is partially my responsibility to learn this information because my clients pay me to discern the useful from the useless. If I don’t make the effort then I’m letting them down. I also feel that if I’m going to share my thoughts publicly then I should at least make them educated thoughts and not contribute more mindless drivel to the fitness profession.

   In short, I know I’ll never know it all so I do rely on other sources to get me started, but I try not to take them as gospel. As you mentioned, I make myself aware of their biases and take these into consideration when reading their material. As a general rule, I read something that interests me every day. If I start a paper and feel more enthused by another paper, book, or DVD I’ll read that instead. If I start a book and I’m not “feeling it” I put it down and start another. It took me almost 2 years before I picked up Sahrmann’s book and read it straight through. It was one of the best things I ever did, but I didn’t force it. This is why I almost always have a bunch of stuff on the go.

   Big picture, read what you want as long as you make an attempt. Just show up and give it a go each day. If you’re not into it, put it down and try tomorrow. Learn in bite size pieces.

   Comment by markyoung — August 29, 2010 @ 9:27 AM

6. Mark,

   Thank you kindly for some excellent insight. As usual you have a knack for cutting to the heart of the matter and providing a practical/sensible approach to tackle a rather complex process. Much obliged!

   Comment by Kent Dorfmon — September 1, 2010 @ 1:53 AM

7. No worries Kent! Glad you found it useful.

   Comment by markyoung — September 1, 2010 @ 7:32 AM

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