Why do people say that tma are arts that dont compete?

While many of the traditional martial arts like Aikido and Tai Chi do not have competitions like other styles, many other traditonal martial arts do have competitions. A lot of people who talk trash about TMAs do not understand them. As the old Zen riddle goes "Those who speak do not know. Those who know do not speak." You know how good you are as a martial artist. That's all that matters.