Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
Like understanding the severe psychological ramifications of exclusion, bias, or behavior contrary to self identity.
Not to mention the generally accepted negative results of violent sports.
No, never mind...far easier to just be like every other sad sorry little jock and decide that the only reason people are different is because they're somehow inferior.
Holy crap... you're worse than the Californian politicians who banned tag playing on playgrounds because it's discriminatory and hurtful towards lazy kids.
You can apply identical logic to anything competitive, and claim that those who don't compete as well are hurt and feel inferior. Guess what? Too damn bad. Maybe those who lost should try harder.
Let me ask you a question- are you one of those people who supports banning games on school playgrounds because it makes fat lazy kids feel inferior? Life is competitive and the best achievers take the glory, it's not about handicapping everyone to the lowest common denominator.
You sound like a smart guy, so let me ask you another question. What if the parents of the dumb kids in class hired good lawyers and demanded that honors and gifted classes be removed? They might suggest that PrinceofWands excels needlessly in class, achieving grades that aren't really necessary to pass. By doing so well, he only makes the less gifted kids feel inferior. Therefore we must remove your gifted/honors classes and stifle your education until the other kids catch up. We're trying to achieve equality, not elitism.
I wouldn't buy that crap either. Let the best excel, regardless of the task.
You make excellent points. In fact, I have much mellowed my earlier (ilke during my 20's) feelings on sports in school. I used to say it should be banned...mostly due to school focus and funding reasons. Now, I have no real problem with sports existing at schools, or even receiving funding equal to (but never exceeding) other non-core activities (music, drama, shops, etc). However, I expect that there be an outlet for equality and protection.
I didn't have to endure much serious abuse in high school over my lack of 'school spirit' or 'normalcy' because frankly there wasn't anyone at the school that could take me...but others did endure it, and no one seemed to care. One of the main reasons I'm entering the education field is to hopefully get some balance back into schools...to remove these social stigmas that people MUST be a certain way in order to qualify as 'normal'. If I could have any impact in my life, it would be to remove the idea of 'normal' from our cultural conscience, because there IS NO SUCH THING.
When we adopted the Prussian school model of citizen orientation over education we made a grave error which haunts us to this day. People complain and legislate over student academic achievements and then sneer at people that don't focus on social acclimation, sports and 'normalcy'. Hypocrisy thy name is man.
Life is NOT competitive in any meaningful way. Life is what you make it, and people are what they are. Competitiveness is an individual personality trait, not a biological function. Yes, I understand concepts of survival of the fittest, competing for limited resources and so on...but our nature as sentient beings should largely allow us to exceed this primordial limitations. If you are competitive, great, knock yourself out. But don't think that others are required to feel that too, or be relegated to a lesser status in life.
I'm very competitive...against myself. I'm the only measure by which I can judge myself. No one else is me, so any comparisons outside my own flesh are inherently flawed.
I absolutely stand by what I said, that forced competitiveness is outside of natural identity of self for many people, and therefore is harmful to them and in no way productive. I say that the warrant of your argument are personal and subjective...that you assume that the value you see gained by those who are competitive is an objective value that all hold equal. I submit to you that this is not so. You speak of glory and success, but these things are personal and subjective. If we accept your argument that competitiveness earns you glory, your argument is still inherently flawed in that you assume glory is a good thing. Many do not seek, and will not accept glory. You see my point?
No, I don't want to ban games or sports; no, I don't seek the lowest common denominator...I seek acceptance of difference and individuality.