openlettertothekaratekid
openlettertothekaratekid
Open Letter to The Karate Kid
15 posts
Support Miyagi-Do, not Cobra Kai, and better representation of trauma and mental health in The Karate Kid franchise
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openlettertothekaratekid · 8 days ago
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Emotional maturity is understanding that this troubled teen was troubled because all of the adults in his life—starting with Johnny—kept failing him and never changed. 
Accountability, making amends, and narrative losses belonged to Johnny’s character, but those were cruelly passed to Robby’s character. Sins of the father… are sins of the father, never the son’s. 
Many teens who have parents like Johnny watched this show. Society needs more compassion and empathy for teens who experience childhood trauma. They shouldn’t be held to the same or greater standards as adults who give them that trauma. 
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openlettertothekaratekid · 25 days ago
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drives me actually insane to think about how cobra kai came so close to being a show that could say something meaningful about toxic masculinity and teach young boys and men that it’s possible to be strong while still being gentle and pacifist and compassionate and show them characters who are capable of breaking generational cycles and instead it created an army of fans who hate miyagi-do for being "weak", shit on the female characters and actors for not fitting their beauty standards, constantly attack cast members for not dressing stereotypically masculine, think miguel was “at his peak” when he was ruthless and angry, genuinely believe johnny did no wrong, believe the dojo that constantly cheated their way into wins and built their entire philosophy on violence is the one that deserved to win the whole time, and dismiss the actual sexual harassment in the show because the perpetrator is “hot”
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openlettertothekaratekid · 25 days ago
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🎣🎣🎣
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openlettertothekaratekid · 25 days ago
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5 reasons Zuko has the best redemption story
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His journey was bumpy and full of soul-searching, trials, and lessons
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His trauma was explored throughout his journey but wasn't used to excuse him
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He took accountability with the people he'd hurt
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He made amends by directly helping the people he'd hurt
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He chose to help stop the war his family waged, as his duty to the world
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openlettertothekaratekid · 1 month ago
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Actually, a sadly typical one. No dysfunctional family is wholesome.
Why do society and Hollywood keep normalizing this sh*t?
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openlettertothekaratekid · 1 month ago
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Cobra Kai vs Holding a Parent Accountable
When people who’ve experienced childhood trauma try to hold their parents accountable, it often gets twisted into “blame.” But accountability and blame aren’t the same—and that reframing usually just protects the parent from facing their responsibilities.
This happens in real life, but this is also what was portrayed in Cobra Kai when it came to Robby trying to hold Johnny accountable. Johnny was let off the hook with this reframing. 
To all the naysayers claiming, “It’s not real.” Stop dismissing a realistic portrayal as if it doesn’t matter. What was represented for Johnny and Robby’s relationship happens in real life, and childhood trauma victims/survivors like Robby deserve better representation in stories.
Check out our new Medium post dissecting the “resolution” of Robby trying to hold Johnny accountable!
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openlettertothekaratekid · 2 months ago
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Cobra Kai vs Setting Boundaries
People are often discouraged from setting boundaries, even guilted about them. But, setting boundaries is important for mental and emotional health and well-being. 
Cobra Kai mishandled many topics, and setting boundaries is one of them. Instead of encouraging setting and respecting boundaries, the show encourages villainizing and tearing down boundaries.
Check out our new Medium article about the benefits of setting boundaries and examples from the show illustrating how this topic was mishandled.
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openlettertothekaratekid · 2 months ago
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Cobra Kai and Toxic Masculinity
The show Cobra Kai's fall from grace happened on many fronts. One front was its uninspired take on masculinity---promoting the same toxic dogmas that young males have been hearing for so long... and essentially failing them with these messages.
But the show didn't just do that. It also swept the legs of healthier forms of masculinity by tearing down the Miyagi-Do teachings and male characters to prop up the Cobra Kai teachings and its male characters.
In our new Medium article, we break down how the show treated the Cobra Kai male characters---Kreese, Johnny, and Miguel---versus the Miyagi-Do male characters---Mr. Miyagi, Daniel, and Robby.
We also explore the effects of restrictive gender norms for males---aka toxic masculinity---on mental health and trauma healing, and consider insights gained from how these topics were handled.
We wrote the article in honor of June being Men's Mental Health Awareness Month.
Follow us on Medium for more deep dives into shows and movies, and topics related to mental health and trauma.
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openlettertothekaratekid · 2 months ago
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openlettertothekaratekid · 3 months ago
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openlettertothekaratekid · 3 months ago
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openlettertothekaratekid · 3 months ago
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openlettertothekaratekid · 3 months ago
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openlettertothekaratekid · 4 months ago
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Do you think the show Cobra Kai respected the Miyagi-Do legacy?
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We don’t.
The show tore down the Miyagi-Do legacy and characters to prop up Cobra Kai’s. 
Share our open letter
Follow us on ig: openlettertothekaratekid
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openlettertothekaratekid · 4 months ago
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Share our open letter...
... on here and on other platforms.
The show Cobra Kai in The Karate Kid saga has really damaged this once beautiful franchise. 
To prop up and establish the new toxic Cobra Kai legacy, Miyagi-Do's legacy and characters---including Mr. Miyagi himself---were torn down.
The show that used the Miyagi-Do legacy to prop itself up ripped out this franchise's strong, healthy roots and replaced them with weak, poisonous roots.
Depictions of trauma, childhood trauma, mental health, sexual assault, trauma healing, and cycle breaking were handled and resolved in incredibly harmful ways.
A bias in the writing favored the abusers and bullies (Johnny, Miguel, Tory, and Eli), framed their victims as the antagonists (Daniel, Robby, Sam, and Demetri), and minimized the victims' traumas due to the abusers/bullies.
The story celebrated generational trauma, enabling, and the notion that "hurt people" hurt people and the former are either equally sympathetic or the ONLY sympathetic ones.
The story ended with the Miyagi-Dos---trauma survivors and cycle breakers---giving up completely and supporting their abusers and bullies as they got all the wins.
Is this really the type of stories society should want moving forward? Maybe to some. But, are these stories the moral examples we should be looking to?
We say no. At any time, anyone can become a trauma survivor due to an assault, bullying, etc.
Do we as a society want to keep invalidating trauma survivors to promote sympathy for and enable, sometimes even celebrate, those who traumatize them? Especially when those who traumatize them don't properly take accountability or grow, and act entitled to sympathy and taking their victims' wins? Apologies are just empty words by themselves. Tangible changed behaviors are a true reflection of accountability.
Representation in media is so important. Kids and teens watched this show. Do we really want them to believe that their traumatic experiences don't matter? That they have to "be the bigger person", see "both sides", and abandon themselves to support those who cause them trauma? Even the kids and teens who experience childhood trauma, when it comes to their parents/parental figures?
These are important questions to ask, reflect on, and answer.
This franchise cannot heal until the harmful messages of Cobra Kai are properly addressed and buried. The roots of this franchise can only heal if Robby's and Sam's stories are properly resolved.
It's truly sad to see this timeless franchise and legacy forever ruined.
Follow us on ig: openlettertothekaratekid
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