One of the ways that "the martial arts world" has changed in the last century is the access to information. I have a book on my shelf containing seven classics of Chinese military strategy that for centuries was considered classified military secrets. The mere possession of such a text would result in the execution of myself and my family. Possible even extended family. The ability to resist the government has long been a concern for those in power.
Now you can order a copy for yourself online and get it in a few days.
Likewise, the spread of other kinds of martial arts information has reached a zenith that has until now been unknown. You can see detailed, technical explanations from experienced and qualified instructors all over the world with a device you carry in your pocket.
Hence, the problem today is no longer access to information, it is discerning the quality of the information obtained.
Without knowledge, training and experience it can be difficult to tell if the information we are consuming is true, correct, right, or authentic. What those words even mean can also have different definitions based on who you talk to.
This is the perennial problem in the martial arts. The public is not equipped to tell whether one's practice accomplishes their goals, real or imagined.
Fortunately, most of the people who will read this article live in relatively a peaceful time and place in the context of human history and as such don't really have a good grasp on the many variations of violence and conflict. Unfortunately, this also means that many of us are not equipped to answer the question: "What is effective?"
Somewhere in the mix of films, video games and whatever martial art is the 'darling' of the public's eye (I'd argue it's currently MMA, but that hasn't always been the case) the public uses this central point of reference as the measure by which they try to determine if your practice is "effective."
(I don't remember now where I found this image. Somewhere online. If you know the source please let me know.)
We need a better system for discussing the martial arts. For interacting with and communicating with the untrained public.
With perhaps too much information comes the need for a way of qualifying whether the information you collect is actually worth anyone's time.
Listen to the podcast "Walking With The Tengu" at: https://anchor.fm/walkingtengu for analysis and thoughts on how classic works are meaningful to the modern martial artist.