I decided to move some discussion from this post up to the top level here. Specifically, Watoosh wrote: "Well, if violence is defined as initiation of force (which, of course, presupposes certain property rights), then I think Rockwell is correct..." Well, if we define cats as elephants, then many people keep elephants in their house. More seriously, firstly, violence is not usually defined that way. It's defined as, you know, violence, so that, say, someone may respond violently or non-violently to someone who aggresses against them. Otherwise, it would make no sense to say, for instance, "He punched me, but I did not stoop to violence in response." And, secondly, the libertarian usage of "initiation of force" is very offbeat. If I wander onto someone's meadow, most people would not say I had "initiated force" -- I mean, sure, I used "force" against the earth to push off walking, but that's not force directed against...
I suppose they could have found some other way to die. But it's true that I long been warning of the hidden costs of sports.
ReplyDeleteI've worked with alcoholics who went on binges and missed a few days of work. It's not, in my opinion, any more excusable than the skier who breaks a leg and misses a few days. Well, except that the skier will get paid leave and medical care. It is clear to me that the capitalist system straining from the side-effects of sports, and yet everyone has been brainwashed into thinking high-testosterone activities like football and beer are as virtuous as apple pie.
There's a whole branch of the medical profession called "sports medicine." How many bong institutes have we? How many bong related injuries have we? Torn rotor cuffs from reloading that Gatling gun?
Do local governments invoke eminent domain to acquire fields for planting hemp and poppy? They sure don't mind condemning, taxing and spending to create sports complexes.
Every time I see them create another golf course or ballfield, I think of it as a subsidy for the AMA and Anheuser Busch. When will we put and end to this madness?
"Panem et circenses." Been doing it for five thousand years, probably much, much longer, so it ain't likely for undoing any time soon.
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