Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 Does boxing have any place in a civilised society? What does it say about us as humans when news headlines for several days are dominated by two men punching each other until one of them becomes unconscious? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stichman Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 Does boxing have any place in a civilised society? What does it say about us as humans when news headlines for several days are dominated by two men punching each other until one of them becomes unconscious?Aye, why not?All year round the headlines are dominated by 22 men chasing after a ball, or one man hitting a tiny ball with a big stick across some sand and grass. It's easy to belittle sports.It's not like they're beating each other with spades or anything - it's a controlled environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 In all these other sports, injury is something they referees and so on actively try to prevent and the players try to avoid though, I can't think of any other sport where injury is the actual sole basis of the "game". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stichman Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 In all these other sports, injury is something they referees and so on actively try to prevent and the players try to avoid though, I can't think of any other sport where injury is the actual sole basis of the "game".Injury isn't the sole basis of the game. Which is why there are restrictions to where you can hit, and why there are referees. It's not some forced, evil, rabid dogfight. It's a game of tactics and mental strength, not just brute force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 The goal of the game is knock the opponent out or hit him until he submits, you could argue there's a simliar degree of "tactics" and mental strength in bullfighting. Personally I don't see how anyone could get a kick out of watching boxing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_matter Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 If you can't see the technical precision and ability in boxing then you don't deserve eyes.Nuf said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stichman Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 If you can't see the technical precision and ability in boxing then you don't deserve eyes.Nuf said. S'true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-matthEw- Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 People will always like to see athletes push themselves to the limits of physical endurance. Anyone looking for gory violence wont really find it at a boxing match. The folk that do enjoy watching boxing appreciate the skill involved in the sport. Nobody watches it to satisfy a primary barbaric desire, as you seem to be suggesting. there are plenty of other things that can give you that if thats what your after - boxing definately isnt one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brymon Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 This may never come from me again, but i have to agree with Stripey, 2 men beating each other, in this day in age just doesn't seem right to me. I know plenty of people that love boxing, i just think it's all a bit barbaric! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 If you can't see the technical precision and ability in boxing then you don't deserve eyes.Nuf said.technical precision and ability perhaps, but what's so great about being able to punch someone in the face with technical precision? Is that something to admire in a person? Boxing glorifies violence and agression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 technical precision and ability perhaps, but what's so great about being able to punch someone in the face with technical precision? Is that something to admire in a person? Boxing glorifies violence and agression.If anything it's the one contact sport which encourages limiting violence so as to sustain energy. Aggressive boxers tire themselves out and will get knocked down when they get angry and fail to concentrate.My only problem with boxing is the way that it's become a glitzy cash machine. The sport at the centre of it is still very sound however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 but it's a skill like any other. people who are good boxers enjoy being good boxers, there are people who enjoy watching them and there are people who enjoy being involved in the industry.why is any other skill that someone might have more worthy of praise than being a good boxer? being able to play a certain combination of notes in a certain order, being able to make really nice tasting food, being able to write in a way that brings out peoples emotions, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_matter Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 technical precision and ability perhaps, but what's so great about being able to punch someone in the face with technical precision? Is that something to admire in a person? Boxing glorifies violence and agression.If it doesn't entertain you don't watch it. Easy enough isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 why is any other skill that someone might have more worthy of praise than being a good boxer? being able to play a certain combination of notes in a certain order, being able to make really nice tasting food, being able to write in a way that brings out peoples emotions, etc.A musician, a chef or a writer has a creative talent, there's no value to society in boxing beyond entertainment which appeals to base instincts. The same can be said for footballers, who get paid exhorbitant amounts of money for something which is serves no purpose and has no value to society other than entertaining the working classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 If it doesn't entertain you don't watch it. Easy enough isn't it?It doesn't entertain me, it offends me, which is why I started this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 A musician, a chef or a writer has a creative talent, there's no value to society in boxing beyond entertainment which appeals to base instincts. The same can be said for footballers, who get paid exhorbitant amounts of money for something which is serves no purpose and has no value to society other than entertaining the working classes.what is the actual value to society provided by the work of a musician or writer other than entertainment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam 45 Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 How do yo feel about UFC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_matter Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 It doesn't entertain me, it offends me, which is why I started this thread.There are plenty things that offend me that aren't going away anytime soon. That's life I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 what is the actual value to society provided by the work of a musician or writer other than entertainment?Music and literature are incredibly important to any society because they transcend the violence and aggression inherent in "sports" such as boxing and create an intellectual and emotional dialogue between people which is slightly more sophisticated than throwing a punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Gold Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 Music and literature are incredibly important to any society because they transcend the violence and aggression inherent in "sports" such as boxing and create an intellectual and emotional dialogue between people which is slightly more sophisticated than throwing a punch.I've already pointed out that boxing is not simply about throwing a punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 I've already pointed out that boxing is not simply about throwing a punch.You miss the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 technical precision and ability perhaps, but what's so great about being able to punch someone in the face with technical precision? Is that something to admire in a person? Boxing glorifies violence and agression.Interesting concept.I enjoy boxing and apart from an unfortunate/provoked situation, have never hit a person or felt any need to be violent.Perhaps a slightly sweeping statement but I would think that you would get more rowdy fans at a Aberdeen vs Madrid game than a Hatton vs Mayweather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 other than entertaining the working classes.I was thinking about forming a constructive argument but you are obviously just a wind-up merchant. Football is for the working class and boxing is for people who get a thrill out of violence. For someone so deep, intellectual and creative, your world is very simple.Were you bullied at school and forced to play in goals at lunch time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timson Posted December 9, 2007 Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 A musician, a chef or a writer has a creative talent, there's no value to society in boxing beyond entertainment which appeals to base instincts. The same can be said for footballers, who get paid exhorbitant amounts of money for something which is serves no purpose and has no value to society other than entertaining the working classes.but then you could just argue the same point with music, it serves no purpose than to entertain usfood,we eat to live,whether it tastes amazing or okbooks,we read for enjoymenta boxing fan may admire the amount of training a boxer goes through,the focus and concentration, thinking about your opponents next move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripey Posted December 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2007 Football is for the working class and boxing is for people who get a thrill out of violence. If you enjoy watching boxing matches you do get a thrill out of violence, it's quite simple. The audience that watches these spectator sports such as football, rugby, boxing and so on are primarily what I would call working class people, but in this day and age I would tend to define "working class" as an intellectual subclass rather than a financial or material one. I think the vast majority of people are into following these sports because of their own lack of identity, they can avoid dealing with becoming truly individual adults and postpone developing their own opinions and ideas about what life is by latching onto these popular cultural idioms. "I support rangers therefore I have something in common with everyone else who supports rangers, therefore I am accepted by everyone else who supports rangers so that must mean I'm just like them". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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