When we think about ‘research’ lately, we all grab out computers & go to Google.
Why?
B/c it’s convenient, sure… super-fast, & there’s tons of information there.
But just think– Google & all other search engines are designed to sort information by ‘page-hits’… or in other words, “Truth as measured by popular approval”.
But if you think about it, that’s silly– all the major creative & scientific discoveries in the history of the world, were made by ppl who did NOT think the way others thought… in fact, they often so ‘thought different’ that they were ridiculed, ostracized, or even put to death.
In two of the fields that I operate, namely internal martial arts (Instructor since ’93) & the Chinese game of ‘Go’ (4dan AGA), what’s written about these practices is most-often wholly incorrect. Most of what you can find (online or otherwise) is just ppl writing what they ‘think’ is true, & others writing what they ‘heard somewhere’. & so what you get is misunderstanding followed by misunderstanding.
Small wonder Vernor Vinge calls it the “Net of a million lies”.
Next time, check if the person speaking or writing is calm, reserved, casual. Or are they strident, super-certain, possibly defensive? The former sounds like a person with personal experience… & the later isn’t.
But best– find out for yourself.