"Violence in sport is taught and rewarded"

Essay by danman38University, Bachelor'sA+, March 2003

download word file, 8 pages 4.8

Downloaded 126 times

"Violence in sport is taught and rewarded"

When first read, this statement seems appalling; how could our western society, governed by ideals of peaceful co-existence, educate and promote our children to commit acts of violence? Where do our morals lie? Is common decency not an issue anymore? Sports are commonly thought of as a character building, fun way to teach children to co-operate and work together as a team. The above-mentioned statement seems to refer to professional sports teams and athletes, but the two levels of play are very closely connected. Little league and amateur sports are often the foundations for any professional athlete. In such settings the participants learn key elements of the sport and becomes acquainted with the game for the first time. These experiences perpetuate and mold the athlete into the player they will eventually become. Although I will not be discussing sports or athletes at a juvenile level in great detail, I would like to point out that many of the characteristics players display, are as a result of earlier incidents.

There are two diverse positions regarding this statement; those who consider the statement to be true, and those who consider the statement to be false. However, these separate standpoints may be subdivided once more into: those who do or do not believe that violence in sport is taught, and those who do or do not believe that violence in sport is rewarded.

Violence is usually a result of aggression. Aggression according to Freud, and many sociologists, is an inborn drive and can therefore, like other similar drives, be regulated. Athletes, in high-pressure situations, become extremely frustrated due to their intense desire for, and sometimes the failure to achieve, their aspired goals. When there are very high expectations placed on an individual or team, to...