plasticman
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Preface: I sincerely hoped everyone recognized the use of sarcasm. However, I must be realistic. I don't trust about 1/10th of 1% of you. Hence, this preface.
Despite the human species’ abilities of self-awareness and rationalization, we are still a member of the “animal kingdom”. In fact, from what I have read or seen on the internet, we share 97% of the same genetic material as a gorilla.
I’m grateful that the other 3% excludes the need to throw feces at someone when they annoy me.
The vast majority of shared instincts with higher mammals are obsolete to us. They should no longer apply. For example, It is no longer necessary to judge friend or enemy by appearance in the same way a pack of wolves do with their sense of smell. Various forms of transportation throughout our history has scattered every culture throughout the world to the point we are all each other’s next door neighbor. We have both shared and diverse interests, resources, goals, beliefs, and social practices.
Another instinct that does endure time is the way in which infants are developed into adults by nature. When we look at the infants of mammals like lions or monkeys we see that they form groups and establish hierarchies of power and influence. They begin this in the way that they play their games.
Have you ever noticed that the play of lion cubs is typically a simulation of battle? They are constantly attacking each other, sometimes direct, often in sneak attacks. Sometimes they attack in groups. They look for weaknesses to take advantage of.
They are honing the skills they need for survival, both as an individual and together as a group. They are learning who their leaders are, those with the best fighting skills. They are proving themselves worthy as a source of superior genetic makeup. Females are inherently attracted to males demonstrating the most impressive physical prowess. This is why that “A” in math didn’t get you chicks in high school.
They are insuring the survival of their species.
For the human species you would think that being higher on the evolutionary chain would make all of this obsolete. Perhaps, many of you think it should be. But it isn’t.
Watching children play, especially boys, their games are always some type of contest where there are winners and losers. When they were younger their play was more physical. However, even when it comes to the computer games brought on by PlayStation, Xbox, etc., which games seem to be the most popular?
Which finally brings me to the game of football, a game typically played by children aged 10 to 16. Football is the game of war.
I would submit that about 95% of all games played by male children are games of war with the same purpose as those infants of higher mammals I previously discussed.
The game creates a hierarchy among young males. There are the “stud” football players, the other players who participate and those who don’t participate. If you think this status doesn’t make a difference among females (very generally, humorously) then you didn’t go to high school. How did cheerleaders evolve?
The game teaches physical methods of attack, defense, and overwhelming your opponent. The game uses terms like “blitz”, “offense & defense”, “attack”, “squad”, “field general”, and “weapon”. In organized leagues, the participants wear defensive clothing like armored knights. They wear distinguishable uniforms with numbers as identification codes.
There are levels of specialization. Just as there is artillery, infantry, tank personnel and special ops in the military so there is linebacker, receiver, and safety in football.
“American football” is the American game of war. It is violent with the potential of injury in various degrees of damage up to and including death, immediate, or eventually. We know this. The world knows this. Is this a bad thing?
What if football is a subtle message to the rest of the world from the U.S.?
“Hey!”……..”This is how we play growing up!”?.....”Do you really want to mess with us?”
I don’t know. I could be wrong. This could be way off base.
Anyway, evolution usually comes along and cleans up obsolete habits and traits and such……in football they are called “rule changes”.
There are also rule changes in life. Two hundred years from now, I have no doubt our ancestors will look upon us as savage barbarians for some of the stuff we do. I don’t know what, if I did then I would be as “advanced” as them and I’m definitely not.
Despite the human species’ abilities of self-awareness and rationalization, we are still a member of the “animal kingdom”. In fact, from what I have read or seen on the internet, we share 97% of the same genetic material as a gorilla.
I’m grateful that the other 3% excludes the need to throw feces at someone when they annoy me.
The vast majority of shared instincts with higher mammals are obsolete to us. They should no longer apply. For example, It is no longer necessary to judge friend or enemy by appearance in the same way a pack of wolves do with their sense of smell. Various forms of transportation throughout our history has scattered every culture throughout the world to the point we are all each other’s next door neighbor. We have both shared and diverse interests, resources, goals, beliefs, and social practices.
Another instinct that does endure time is the way in which infants are developed into adults by nature. When we look at the infants of mammals like lions or monkeys we see that they form groups and establish hierarchies of power and influence. They begin this in the way that they play their games.
Have you ever noticed that the play of lion cubs is typically a simulation of battle? They are constantly attacking each other, sometimes direct, often in sneak attacks. Sometimes they attack in groups. They look for weaknesses to take advantage of.
They are honing the skills they need for survival, both as an individual and together as a group. They are learning who their leaders are, those with the best fighting skills. They are proving themselves worthy as a source of superior genetic makeup. Females are inherently attracted to males demonstrating the most impressive physical prowess. This is why that “A” in math didn’t get you chicks in high school.
They are insuring the survival of their species.
For the human species you would think that being higher on the evolutionary chain would make all of this obsolete. Perhaps, many of you think it should be. But it isn’t.
Watching children play, especially boys, their games are always some type of contest where there are winners and losers. When they were younger their play was more physical. However, even when it comes to the computer games brought on by PlayStation, Xbox, etc., which games seem to be the most popular?
Which finally brings me to the game of football, a game typically played by children aged 10 to 16. Football is the game of war.
I would submit that about 95% of all games played by male children are games of war with the same purpose as those infants of higher mammals I previously discussed.
The game creates a hierarchy among young males. There are the “stud” football players, the other players who participate and those who don’t participate. If you think this status doesn’t make a difference among females (very generally, humorously) then you didn’t go to high school. How did cheerleaders evolve?
The game teaches physical methods of attack, defense, and overwhelming your opponent. The game uses terms like “blitz”, “offense & defense”, “attack”, “squad”, “field general”, and “weapon”. In organized leagues, the participants wear defensive clothing like armored knights. They wear distinguishable uniforms with numbers as identification codes.
There are levels of specialization. Just as there is artillery, infantry, tank personnel and special ops in the military so there is linebacker, receiver, and safety in football.
“American football” is the American game of war. It is violent with the potential of injury in various degrees of damage up to and including death, immediate, or eventually. We know this. The world knows this. Is this a bad thing?
What if football is a subtle message to the rest of the world from the U.S.?
“Hey!”……..”This is how we play growing up!”?.....”Do you really want to mess with us?”
I don’t know. I could be wrong. This could be way off base.
Anyway, evolution usually comes along and cleans up obsolete habits and traits and such……in football they are called “rule changes”.
There are also rule changes in life. Two hundred years from now, I have no doubt our ancestors will look upon us as savage barbarians for some of the stuff we do. I don’t know what, if I did then I would be as “advanced” as them and I’m definitely not.
), food... our pop culture in general is basically American. I was a child in the 80s and apart from Lego (danish) practically all cool toys and cartoons were American. My favorites was Transformers lol.