Six

The question of values was key to each of the readings.

"The Most Dangerous Game" had a central question: are humans the same as animals? What is the value of human life? Who decides? Our horror at the General—like Rainsford—stems from our belief that human life has a higher value than animals. But this story reveals Rainsford's hypocrisy because before meeting the General, Rainsford has little sympathy for the animals he hunts. When he himself is the hunted, he understands the fear the animals must go through and is forced to face the reality of his own apathy towards his prey that he himself is being subjected to by the General. The General is the hyperbolic mirror of Rainsford, only while Rainsford believes that man is inherently more important than animal, the General believes man in inherently equal to animal.

Likewise, the value football fans place on player's livelihood—namely, their mental and physical health—is called into question in "Dying to Play" and "How CTE Affects the Brain" by revealing the devastating effects that football has on players.

The value of human life being determined by the majority—whites—was shown in "When Will it End?". Chris Rock even reveals how sports are given values, and illustrates how groups of people—in this example African-Americans—are usually prevented from certain activities like golf because it is deemed a "white" sport. Tiger Woods, is disowned by fellow African-Americans because of his ability to transcend the limits of his race by becoming a professional golfer. This same concept of activities being given values, and certain people groups being barred from participation in those activities is exemplified in "9 Rules for the Black Birdwatcher", where the author explains how this overwhelmingly "white" hobby is valued as high culture. Since blacks in America are sometimes seen as liking "lesser culture" society in general excludes minorities from higher valued activities like bird watching or golf.

Besides this issue of values, I find something more alarming. That Chris Rock uses RACIST stereotypes about Black people as comedy, to expose racism?! It's only Chris Rock who does this, but almost all comedians of all races. Stereotypes are funny. Until you realize that they are perpetuating institutionalized racism...

Bob Costas makes remarks about the availability of guns exacerbating crime rates, which in a way, reveals what he thinks about humans as controlled rather than as controllers, which some might say is devaluing human capability and by extension, humans in general. My question for him is what is "sensible and more comprehensive gun control legislation"? If that means making it more difficult for people to acquire guns—as he continually mentioned was the problem with crime today: the easy access to guns, especially among men he stereotypes as "aggressive" football players prone to substance abuse—then who will prevent the bad guys from getting guns????! Then what next, when the entire gun industry is wiped out, will we get rid of kitchen knives and Baseball bats and shovels and rat poison? Just a question.