Debates
25 Oct 09
25 Oct 09
Isn't it about time that all professional sports were banned? How is it that a concientious society can allow a certain segment of its members to be exposed to serious and unnecessary risk, all in the name of entertainment for that society? The Romans did this very thing in the form of the gladiatorial games. Wouldn't it be nice to think that modern societies have evolved beyond the point of the more savage traits of a culture whose heyday was two milennia ago?
25 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenI think a higher priority would be to provide safe conditions for regular workers. Nobody seems to call for coal mining to be banned because it's dangerous. An athlete needing to get Tommy John surgery seems pretty minor in comparison.
Isn't it about time that all professional sports were banned? How is it that a concientious society can allow a certain segment of its members to be exposed to serious and unnecessary risk, all in the name of entertainment for that society? The Romans did this very thing in the form of the gladiatorial games. Wouldn't it be nice to think that modern s ...[text shortened]... ved beyond the point of the more savage traits of a culture whose heyday was two milennia ago?
25 Oct 09
Originally posted by rwingettCoal miners provide an essential function to a society. Yes, we should ensure that their working conditions are as safe as possible. However, professional athletes are superfluous. They serve to entertain the masses and nothing more (in fact, a portion of those masses watch certain sports just in the hopes of seeing someone get hurt). How can a civilized society justify exposing members to the threat of serious injury and death in the name of entertainment only?
I think a higher priority would be to provide safe conditions for regular workers. Nobody seems to call for coal mining to be banned because it's dangerous. An athlete needing to get Tommy John surgery seems pretty minor in comparison.
25 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenIn the 134 year history of major league baseball there has been one fatality due to on field activity. In 1920 Cleveland Indian shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head with the pitch and died the next day. One fatality in 134 years. That's hardly on par with gladiator sports.
Coal miners provide an essential function to a society. Yes, we should ensure that their working conditions are as safe as possible. However, professional athletes are superfluous. They serve to entertain the masses and nothing more (in fact, a portion of those masses watch certain sports just in the hopes of seeing someone get hurt). How can a civili ...[text shortened]... fy exposing members to the threat of serious injury and death in the name of entertainment only?
25 Oct 09
1 edit
Donnie Moore commited suicide because he never got over serving up a playoff losing home run to Dave Henderson. And we still have yet to see the toll that rampant steroid use will cause to today's generation of athletes. How many drivers have been killed in auto racing? How many ex-football players (American variety football) are left to live out their lives after their careers in crippling pain? I could go on and on.
So to say that one sport (baseball) has only suffered one on-field fatality as a justification for allowing fellow members of a society to place themselves in harm's way just to satisfy a society's need to be entertained (a need which, by the way, can also be satisfied by non-violent pursuits such as movies and concerts) is nothing more than shallow rationalization for the sake of remaining entertained.
25 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenShould we also ban all recreational sports activities that are a danger to the person taking part in them? Better safe than sorry.
Coal miners provide an essential function to a society. Yes, we should ensure that their working conditions are as safe as possible. However, professional athletes are superfluous. They serve to entertain the masses and nothing more (in fact, a portion of those masses watch certain sports just in the hopes of seeing someone get hurt). How can a civili ...[text shortened]... fy exposing members to the threat of serious injury and death in the name of entertainment only?
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenYou weren't attacking specific sports. You were attacking ALL professional sports. I provided an example of one that was not dangerous. Or at least not life threatening. If you want to attack auto racing, then I won't stand in your way, but to attack professional sports as a whole is just asinine.
Donnie Moore commited suicide because he never got over serving up a playoff losing home run to Dave Henderson. And we still have yet to see the toll that rampant steroid use will cause to today's generation of athletes. How many drivers have been killed in auto racing? How many ex-football players (American variety football) are left to live out their ...[text shortened]... concerts) is nothing more than shallow rationalization for the sake of remaining entertained.
As for your allegedly non-violent pursuits, there have been more fatalities for movie stuntmen than for baseball, football, basketball and hockey players combined. How's that for being entertained?
26 Oct 09
2 edits
Originally posted by rwingettI'm sure that the relatives that Donnie Moore and Ray Chapman left behind would disagree with your assessment that baseball isn't dangerous. I care about the welfare of ALL professional athletes, so why attack individual sports? If you're okay with baseball players playing Russian roulette with steroids or endangering themselves in other ways just so you can enjoy nine innings, that's your perogative. But until we eliminate all professional sports, we are fundamentally no more evolved as a society than the Romans.
You weren't attacking specific sports. You were attacking ALL professional sports. I provided an example of one that was not dangerous. Or at least not life threatening. If you want to attack auto racing, then I won't stand in your way, but to attack professional sports as a whole is just asinine.
As for your allegedly non-violent pursuits, there have be ...[text shortened]... baseball, football, basketball and hockey players combined. How's that for being entertained?
Edit: If you could provide a link to a credible source backing up your claim regarding stuntmen, that would be great.
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by Fleabittenhttp://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/node/9510
I'm sure that the relatives that Donnie Moore and Ray Chapman left behind would disagree with your assessment that baseball isn't dangerous. I care about the welfare of ALL professional athletes, so why attack individual sports? If you're okay with baseball players playing Russian roulette with steroids or endangering themselves in other ways just so yo ...[text shortened]... e a link to a credible source backing up your claim regarding stuntmen, that would be great.
What about curling? It's impossible to be injured playing it. Would you ban it as well? What about tennis? Or bowling? Does watching golf make one the moral equivalent of Emperor Nero?
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenKeep it up and the government will impose special "danger taxes" assoctiated with professional sports. Yea, all we need is an ever increasing nanny state to dictate to us what our entertainment should become. Of course, perhaps your utopia would exclude entertainment, but I think it a hard sell with all the statists in Hollywood.
Isn't it about time that all professional sports were banned? How is it that a concientious society can allow a certain segment of its members to be exposed to serious and unnecessary risk, all in the name of entertainment for that society? The Romans did this very thing in the form of the gladiatorial games. Wouldn't it be nice to think that modern s ...[text shortened]... ved beyond the point of the more savage traits of a culture whose heyday was two milennia ago?
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by rwingettYou forgot that poor chap in Chicago who caught that fly foul ball that cost the Cubs the chance to go to the World Series, I think his name was Bartman or something. Anyhew, I believe he had to go into the witness relocation program after a myriad of threats on his life. LOL.
In the 134 year history of major league baseball there has been one fatality due to on field activity. In 1920 Cleveland Indian shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head with the pitch and died the next day. One fatality in 134 years. That's hardly on par with gladiator sports.
Yes, the Cubs are truly cursed.
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenI think if you stretch your argument to cover Donnie Moore and Ray Chapman then you can actually ban EVERYTHING because everything is potentially dangerous. Donnie Moore after a bad performance in 1986 became a drug user and ended up dying. You can ban all sports (because there are loser) or all evaluations (college admissions, job interviews, country club applications, asking someone out on a date etc because you could fail, be disappointed and die. Ray Chapman died after being hit by a spit ball. Subsequent to that baseball has banned the spitball, and has rotated in new baseballs believing that cut ball are more difficult to control and safer. Since then no one has died on a baseball field. We allow cars in our country there are traffic accidents every day' there are repair shop every where. Driving to the ball park is far more dangerous than playing at the ball park. Perhaps you advocate banning the wrong thing.
I'm sure that the relatives that Donnie Moore and Ray Chapman left behind would disagree with your assessment that baseball isn't dangerous. I care about the welfare of ALL professional athletes, so why attack individual sports? If you're okay with baseball players playing Russian roulette with steroids or endangering themselves in other ways just so yo ...[text shortened]... e a link to a credible source backing up your claim regarding stuntmen, that would be great.
26 Oct 09
Originally posted by FleabittenYou do not go far enough in your proposal. Even a person working all day in an office can develop serious back injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome, or might get seriously injured by a fall down the stairs or an elevator accident.
Isn't it about time that all professional sports were banned? How is it that a concientious society can allow a certain segment of its members to be exposed to serious and unnecessary risk, all in the name of entertainment for that society? The Romans did this very thing in the form of the gladiatorial games. Wouldn't it be nice to think that modern s ...[text shortened]... ved beyond the point of the more savage traits of a culture whose heyday was two milennia ago?
Every occupation has a certain degree of hazard. Therefore, we should ban all occupations that do not provide a product or service that is absolutely essential for survival. Everything else is needlessly exposing workers to some degree of injury that would be avoided if those jobs didn't exist.