When Tough Love Goes Too Far: A Goggins Controversy
So, it seems our pal, former Marine and beloved motivational speaker David Goggins, has sparked a bit of a ruckus on social media. Now, don’t get me wrong — the man is an absolute beast when it comes to fitness. I mean, this is a guy who’s run over 240 miles for kicks! But when it comes to his latest Instagram video featuring a child training under some rather dubious conditions, well, let’s just say it raised a few eyebrows. And possibly a few heart rates too.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold
In the now-infamous video, a child is seen balancing precariously on two sticks, attempting to squat a trunk on his shoulders while, quite audibly, regretting every life choice that brought him to this moment. It could’ve made for a compelling cartoon—you know, like those old Looney Tunes where Wile E. Coyote thinks he’s invincible until the anvil drops. Only here, the anvil is a metaphorical daddy issues and misled motivational tactics.
Goggins captioned the video: “I love this kid! While most of you will disagree with the mental and physical training this kid is going through, this ordeal will produce a man ‘you don’t want to fight with.’” But in the court of public opinion, the verdict seems to be leaning heavily towards “child abuse,” with a side serving of “What the actual heck?”
Criticism Galore!
Reactions were as fast as they were furious. Comments ranged from, “Nah, this is child abuse” to a more clinical appraisal: “As a psychologist, I can tell you that this is NOT okay. And it does NOT build resilience.” And let’s be honest, no one seeks a therapist just to add flair to their Instagram posts, right?
Some people applauded the tough-love approach, claiming it builds character. But let’s not pretend that dressing up abuse in the robes of resilience is anything less than a grave disservice to the child. Like a bad magician trick, “Now you see nurturing, now you don’t!”
A Dilemma for a New Age
It raises the question: is there a magical threshold where pushing a child to succeed morphs into harm? I’d argue that any shouting adult egging on a child balancing a trunk whilst in visible distress has crossed that line, and perhaps should be rounded up with a few quacks who think motivation equals humiliation. Because nothing screams “future leader” like a mental breakdown in front of millions!
Wrap-Up: Balancing Act
In the grand scheme of things, tough love can have its place, but it takes finesse, a sprinkle of emotional intelligence, and a big dollop of common sense. Not to mention a child’s actual, you know, childhood. There’s a difference between preparing them for the tough world out there and sending them into it with a bag full of psychological trauma. And let’s face it, one of those usually results in therapy bills that would make a personal trainer weep.
So, to sum it up: David Goggins, you’re phenomenal, and fitness is your forte, but when it comes to tiny humans, maybe let’s stick to the basics—bananas, juice boxes, and a gentle reminder that they’re kids, not mini gladiators. After all, we can’t all run 240 miles—some of us struggle to run from our responsibilities! Cheers!
A former marine and current fitness expert has been targeted by social media users.
The reason is a video I posted in which a child is seen during training balancing on two sticks with a trunk on his shoulders.
David Goggins, 49, an ultramarathon runner and public speaker uses Instagram, where he has 12.6 million followers, to show off his fitness. Goggins has also trained top athletes including MMA star Tony Ferguson ahead of his fight against Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett at UFC296. Ferguson had claimed that Goggins “almost broke me,” according to MMA Weekly.com, during his build-up to the fight. In 2006, he finished second in the 320-mile Ultraman Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii, and also placed second in the Moab 240 ultramarathon.
On Thursday, the American shared on his Instagram a shocking video of a child doing hard training. The child is seen balancing with his feet on two poles that are quite far apart and trying to lift a trunk on his shoulders. The child is heard crying and appears to be in pain, while a man shouts at him.
“I love this kid!” he wrote, commenting that “while most of you will disagree with the mental and physical training this kid is going through,” this ordeal will produce a man “you don’t want to fight with ». “Whatever obstacle is put in front of this child, he will be able to easily go through and conquer it!”, he continued and asserted that the little one will be able to perform under pressure when faced with adversity.
“This is child abuse”
Goggins posted the video to motivate his followers, but there were many who reacted and disagreed with what he was advocating.
“Nah this is child abuse,” wrote one. Another added: “I disagree David and I respect you. That’s trauma, not confidence building.” “He’s too young for this kind of ‘training,'” added another. Another said: “This is child abuse!!! WTF.'”.
“This is outrageous child abuse!!!” wrote one Instagram user. “As a psychologist, I can tell you that this is NOT okay. And it does NOT build resilience. This is completely unacceptable behavior from an adult towards a child. This is horrible and it is equally horrible to admire, which only shows that you have not understood the trauma or the trauma you experienced yourself that feeds your internal dialogue. I don’t think you understand what children need if you applaud this. Nor how to raise resilient children. Please don’t copy this. It’s child abuse.”
Still others appeared to applaud this type of training and disagreed with users who spoke of child abuse.
Source: iefimerida