Do you mean romanticising contemporary martial arts, or historical ones? I think historical martial arts reflect the values of the time, and often those values

Do you mean romanticising contemporary martial arts, or historical ones? I think historical martial arts reflect the values of the time, and often those values don't line up with ours. Similarly, gun enthusiasts reflect the values of their culture and subculture, which are often different from HN kinda-Californian-but-not-really culture. If you live in a culture that emphasises glory, raises its children to glorify famous warriors, gains significant material advantage from military power, and throws military parades for significant victories...why wouldn't you want to know how best to hurt other humans? Why wouldn't you see the most lauded figures in your society as romantic?