Not so long ago, I used to think fighting in hockey was integral to the game. Then, as my third eye began to grow, I saw it as one of the uglier and distasteful ways of engaging in the illusion of separateness; whatever appeal it once had was no longer there. And then I dumbed down a tad and merged the two opinions.
There's no protracted enmity to be found in nature. Apes don't enact Machiavellian torture, despite their ability to use tools. They may be the assholes of the animal kingdom, but you'll never see a pack of hyenas mercilessly bully an antelope until it finally can't take the abuse and jumps off a cliff.
Humans, though, are fucking insane, and besmirch nature in all sorts of horrific ways. As high up on the food chain we are, we sure know how to fuck up a planet and all its inhabitants. Animals settle conflicts quickly and often brutally. There's no psychological residue. Usually the loser of a fight will say to itself, in it's own manner, of course, "Well, I won't try to mate with that dude's gal anymore."
I think an argument can be made for the necessity of hockey fights. Appearances may show just a couple of goons beating each other into a pulp, but what if what they're doing is providing a safety valve? Hockey is a dangerous sport without fighting. It's physical and fast moving. Most players will tell you fighting is necessary because it keeps everyone honest. Without the pugilism, you'd see a lot more egregious acts, like busting out knees and checks from behind.
As in the animal kingdom, disputes are settled quickly and efficiently in hockey. Watch a brutal playoff series and you'll see what I mean when the teams meet at center ice and shake hands upon its completion. So, anyway, there's that. I'm more of a peaceful guy these days and am not a proponent of violence, but I say let fighting stay in hockey. Why not? And, look, most of the people who are aghast by it ("Oh, what brutes!") have no problem sending our troops to foreign countries to partake in wholesale murder or eating a hamburger whose meat was rendered horrifically and unceremoniously from a cow, one of the most peaceful and lovely animals on the planet.
On my way home from work today I read the bumper stickers on the car in front of me. One read "Live And Let Live". Thumbs up to that. Another one had a quote from Jesus that was too faded to read. The other two were pro-Marines. Strange bedfellows. Maybe not so strange.
Does that have anything to do with my editorial on hockey? I don't know, I just want to go dream about the new Guy Maddin film that's coming out and maybe eat some roasted cashews, the tastiest of nuts.
The End.
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4 comments:
"I'm more of a peaceful guy these days and am not a proponent of violence, but I say let fighting stay in hockey. Why not? And, look, most of the people who are aghast by it ("Oh, what brutes!") have no problem sending our troops to foreign countries to partake in wholesale murder or eating a hamburger whose meat was rendered horrifically and unceremoniously from a cow, one of the most peaceful and lovely animals on the planet.
On my way home from work today I read the bumper stickers on the car in front of me. One read "Live And Let Live". Thumbs up to that. Another one had a quote from Jesus that was too faded to read. The other two were pro-Marines. Strange bedfellows. Maybe not so strange."
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I feel compelled to ask you this question Kevin; What is the difference between people eating meat from a cow or a chicken or fish for that matter and you killing mice in your apartment instead of setting human traps for them? Instead of killing them, you might have caught them alive and released them somewhere where they could resume their lives without bothering you or invading your apartment? I just find it interesting that you are questioning the morality of eating cows while at the same time you set traps to kill the mice and even wondered why your roommate did not seem as anxious to eliminate the mice? I pass no judgement here however, I am simply wondering if you've considered how killing mice might be in conflict with your to violence.
OOps! I detected a typo in my original comment! What I meant to write was: Humane traps not human traps!
Okay apparently I had 2 typos in my comment.
I pass no judgement here however, I am simply wondering if you've considered how killing mice might be in conflict with your (aversion) to violence.
As concerns eating meat, Kate, I was speaking to the manner in which it was acquired. I think there's a big difference between instant (or damn near close to it) death from a mousetrap or what happens to cattle on the killing floor. They shit themselves in fear long before they're killed.
I'll give you a hundred dollars if you can point out where exactly I questioned the morality of eating cows. I was giving an example of conflicting judgments that in my opinion runs rampant in this world. Of which, by the way, I have more than a few (I'm working on it).
As far as the mice situation is concerned, it seems as if you're suggesting the reason I wondered why Fred wasn't as "anxious" as I was to get rid of the mice was because I had figured he would have been as excited as I was over killing another creature. If so, I have to respectfully disagree with your determination and state for the record that I don't derive any pleasure from killing mice or anything else. They were a problem, these mice, and they had to go. We discussed getting rid of them in a more humane way, but the traps we used did the job quickly and efficiently. No torture, no abuse. Tell you what, I bet every single one of those mice would have preferred the way they went to what a cat or other animal had in store for them. And also, as far as I know, not one of them were ever taught to fear death like we are.
There you have it, Kate. Hope I was able to clear that up. That post is hardly air tight. I'm sure there are plenty of inconsistencies, etc., throughout. I'm not suggesting you dig them out, but only that I would never argue that I'm congruent across the board.
p.s. I do feel bad about hanging some of the mice.
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