Sissification Indoctrination
All of us, or certainly most, can remember playing the game of Dodgeball in elementary, and perhaps middle, school as well. The game provided: Escape from the building, exercise, competition (non-PC compliant), and an activity that all could play, plus in the process, if needed, the chance to work off some school, home or social stress.
Well, no surprise in today’s environment, it turns out that the innocent game (or so we thought) that most of us experienced and enjoyed, with no lasting harm, actually “teaches students to dehumanize and harm their pears,” per three Canadian college professors. What a surprise source: Academics. So here we go. Get your mental sponges squeezed-out and ready to absorb. As yet again, the shrill voice of campus liberalism and progressive protectionism bellow out to warn and berate the unthinking, the unfeeling, and the barbaric (i.e., conservative) among us.
You see, the three campus musketeers believe Dodgeball is a form of “oppression,” manifested in five ways: “exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and (wait for it) violence.” Yep, that game is the early taxpayer-provided training school for our future corps of thugs and violent criminals. Who knew? That may explain why so many of us wake up each day feeling exploited, marginalized, powerless, culturally stomped upon, and likely violence-prone, if our morning coffee isn’t just the way we like it. It’s a wonder anything ever gets done at work, especially among those still fighting-off those Dodgeball demons on the drive in.
The clear intention of these academics, as they now go forth to testify before government committees, is to have Dodgeball (and its associated evils) removed from school physical education programs across Canada. With a possibility of success, given that the population centers, certainly within their eastern provinces, are abundantly liberal. Keep in mind that the “love-don’t-hate-shower-everyone-with-peace-and-kindness-regardless-of-what-jerks-others-may-be” crowd, seemingly prominent up there, is being semi-imported down here in the Lower-48 under the toxic umbrella of fanatical leftism. Only ‘semi’ because America’s leftists failed to read the instructions, and much prefer hate to love, while stirring up as much ideological chaos as possible, whether in the streets, in the news, on-line, or in Congress.
Now then. It’s quite likely that the vast majority of us, who played Dodgeball in our youth, didn’t learn violent behavior from it, nor did we grow up throwing things at adults, nor become criminals, due to the early rough-guy-or-gal seeds implanted, unknowingly, by a simple, seemingly innocent childhood game. Among the professors’ fears is that all cannot play and enjoy the game with equal levels of skill, meaning that the less adept will be eliminated early (i.e., “marginalized”) and, thus, humiliated in front of their peers.
Unfortunately, that same protective thinking has taken root in the U.S. as well. Everyone, no matter what, must be treated equally, even in some cases, with mandated equal outcomes. It’s the participation trophy mentality. Effectively, perhaps unknowingly, imposing the long-time, justified credo of Special Olympics: “Everyone’s A Winner.” Thus, now for even the able-bodied and mentally capable, there simply can’t be winners and losers, because the self-esteem “damage” suffered by those not winning will cause irreparable harm, and as some would contend, perhaps even lasting for a lifetime!
Sadly, that protective mentality ill-prepares young people for the realities of later life in the real world where equality, uniform praise, and hugs are a distinct rarity. In adultdom, there definitely will be winners and losers. For the latter, hard lessons to learn (and learn from), but less traumatic and mentally-paralyzing (with fewer adult-child calls to Mom), if our kids are brought up in an environment of expectations, discipline and realism. Made aware from early on that all of us don’t have equal physical skills or mental abilities. That reality can produce far less trauma, if youth are prepared for it by competitive (repeat, competitive) phys.ed. or organized sports activities, musical ensemble involvement (instrument or vocal), and classroom achievement. For the latter, that’s only valid, if grades are awarded based on genuine merit, not on a desire (or administrative dictate) to prevent anyone from feeling badly about themselves.
Prohibiting Dodgeball, and other such overly “protective” actions, contributes to the sissification of our young people, and young males, especially. No question, we are all created equal. But that’s where the equality stops. Natural born ability, parental guidance of the reality kind, and determined preparation (study or training) rapidly take over to produce students and adults with unequal capabilities. That’s simply the natural order, likely from the beginning of human life (“survival of the fittest”).
All then bring a vast array of abilities to grown-up life in the real world of work. A world where sometimes people are displeased with, and may not be nice to, you. A world where everyone is not a winner. One where performance standards are meant to be met, and where people may be reprimanded, penalized, or even fired for lack of acceptable behavior or failure to deliver set productivity outcomes.
So, for heaven’s sake, let Dodgeball and all other competitive activities continue, whether during recess (with supervision, of course), or in the classroom, or after school. Life is competitive, from start to finish. It’s a world made up of those who achieve and those who don’t. But that young person,, who perhaps stinks at Dodgeball, or any other recreational or sports activity, might very well become a noted science fair winner, a stand-out saxophonist, a fine vocalist or accomplished artist. Let the games (and sports, bands, orchestras, choirs, arts, and STEM activities) continue. And then, other than to guide) stay the heck out of the way !
(Dodgeball “dehumanizes” via dailymail.co.uk, James Gordon, 6-9-19)