Posted: Jan 10, 2014 11:51 am
The_Metatron wrote:trubble76 wrote:The_Metatron wrote:To be able to claim that sport builds character, you have to be able to define character, measure it, and show that people who play team sports have more of it than those who do not.
Good luck with that.
I agree. To claim that sport does not build character, one must do the same, no?
I don't think I have claimed that sports "builds character" (although I think a decent argument could be made despite the difficulties in definition), have I?
If I were trying to claim it does not, that is what would have to be done. Judging from the widespread (nearly universal) prevalence of sporting culture in America, for example, and weighing that against my estimate of the average American's character, I have to conclude that scant evidence exists to support the notion that sports builds character.
Whatever character is.
Actually I did not mean to suggest that it was you. It was Aggie that was riffing on the alleged building of character. My point was that it was not my claim, however I think it is a reasonable claim to make once we can solved the definitional problem you highlighted.
I think it's reasonable to think that we achieve highly through competition, just look at the incredible achievements of elite sportsmen, way above and beyond that which ordinary people can achieve.
I think it's reasonable to think that participating in a team game helps improve the participants ability to work efficiently within a team. As a great deal of life's endeavours take place in a team setting, I think the potential benefits are clear.
There are a great many practical life lessons to be gained from setting a goal and competing in order to achieve it, do you disagree?
Would you think these suggestions could reasonable called "character", or not?