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The Forum > Article Comments > The forgotten secret of the ancient Greeks > Comments

The forgotten secret of the ancient Greeks : Comments

By Dave Smith, published 8/11/2005

Dave Smith argues the pugilistic arts teaches boys to be better partners, fathers, citizens and men.

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Dave, there is thermos galore to be found in compulsory two years community service for those 17 to 19 years, or after completion of University or other tertiary study. Community Service in SES, Ambulance, Fire Brigade and allied services. Defence Service as an option but not mandatory. Men and Women learning to care for themselves, their families and their country though team work and discipline. Lets have a bipartisan approach to this long term goal. Better to spend $80k p.a. per person in this nation building program than the same amount caring for someone for an average of 5 years at a later date at Her Majesty's pleasure, caused through family breakdown and personal crises brought on through unemployment and personal social dislocation through an inability to communicate and relate their Thermos, in an appropriate manner.
Posted by Mal, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 10:27:41 AM
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Dave,

You are a brilliant man.

Speaking personally, being from the wrong side of the tracks and not having parents i was a confused and lost kid. I did know right from wrong, but i had no role model and no where to release the energy i had inside me.

You are so correct, Boxing during my teenage years was a key ingredient to me for these reasons:

A: it provided male role models i did not have, which i respected, trusted and sought advice from

B: It gave me an avenue apart from the street to channel your frustrations, agressions and hurt

C:Unquestionable personal discipline

D: It gave me a group of good friends across varying ages, which was very important

E: It taught me i could achieve anything, inside the ring, but also (and more importantly) outside the ring.

I am so grateful to people like yourself, i hope you know how integral you are to changing peoples lives and outlooks.

You understand that essentailly we are a species and have traits we cannot ignore. By channeling this, especially for the confused or frustrated like myself, it changes your whole demeaner, outlook and lowers your overall agression. Especially when during teenage years your hormone levels vary, without an avenue you end up releasing this agression regretfully elsewhere.

If every Boy found the benefit of Boxing it would greatly reduce the testosterone levels on the street. If men continue to bury this 'energy' it will effect our inner psyche. I hope your article extends to the far reaches of society and is taken on board.

FYI, I was never a good boxer or a successful one, but my goals in life were not concerning boxing. The guidance i recieved has springboarded me to much success though, as i was taught that life is the ultimate opponent.
Posted by Realist, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 1:10:01 PM
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Nice read and some good post I too enjoy boxing as a lad. Dave I would love to see a hindu as PM.
Posted by Kenny, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 1:12:49 PM
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I'm not sure exactly what Mal is getting at here. There are no doubt other important ways of directing 'themos'. My theory is simply that fight training helps us learn to harness and control 'themos' so that it can then be directed into more significant battles.

My experience is that there is nothing like the fight game to put a man in touch with his own aggressive drives, and done in the right way, fight training offers unparalelled benefits for young men, as some of my other brothers here seem to appreciate.
Posted by Father Dave, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 2:37:51 PM
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Boxing would be a form of body contact sport, and I tend to think that anyone who participates in a body contact sport has to be physically fit, disciplined, and be prepared to play by the rules, otherwise they will more likely get injured, or be more likely to injure someone else.

However the necessity for good role models is essential for young boys, and it appears that these role models are best adult males, and one of the most important role models becomes the father.

Eg from “The Fatherless Generation”

Chief Youth Court Judge, Andrew Beecroft, in a speech at Parliament a
few years ago identified six characteristics of serious youth offenders: "85 percent are male, the majority have no contact with their father, 80 percent do not go to school and have chronic drug or alcohol addictions, most have psychological or psychiatric issues, and 50 percent - up to 90 percent in some courts - are Maori".

He explained that many of these boys have no adult male role model: "14, 15, and 16 year-old boys seek out role models like 'heat seeking
missiles'. It's either the leader of the Mongrel Mob or it's a sports
coach or it's Dad. But an overwhelming majority of boys who I see in the Youth Court have lost contact with their father. …What I'm saying is that I'm dealing in the Youth Court with boys for whom their Dad is
simply not there, never has been, gone, vanished and disappeared".
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0510/S00236.htm

The wide scale removal of fathers from families in so many societies in recent decades, has been more than just a failed social experiment, but a crime against humanity.
Posted by Timkins, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 5:52:49 PM
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WOW !

I expected every lefty and greeny and female to absolutely ridddddicule this topic.

I just cannot believe this.... not ONE "anti" post.. (or Kenny....did I miss something ? :)

I also found boxing very beneficial. The time when I saw a small bloke take high swings at a tall bloke at a hamburger place on Paramatta road one night (the small guy was 'bait' he had a gang behind him) I was so infuriated about 'injustice' I joined the police boys club and went for it.

Sadly, while all the things each has mentioned so far was there, there was also a negative. One chap of 19 yrs, had experienced over 95 fights, and was punch drunk :(

Then, on my one and only venture into the golden gloves, the cries for 'blood' from the crowd and the looks on the faces was sickening.

But on the brighter side, I have never seen such an instant solution to 'bullying' as this. The P.E. teacher arranged 'Room 19' for 'boxing' during lunch when it was raining. We packed that room like you would not believe. The P.E. teacher matched up some of the 'tough' crowd with others, and they generally had such a dose of humiliation they slunk of in tears. Oh the joy :)

The other thing I didn't like about the Police Boys coach, was his insistence on developing the 'killer instinct' which I did not have.
If you knocked a guy down with a good combo, he would whisper.. "can you do that AGAIN"......never mind the poor bugger on the mat.

But all in all, if practiced safely with head gear and big gloves, and not too many bouts, its a great sport.

I'm looking around for our buddy 'Scout' to leap out and put a post in huge caps about us being Neanderthal or Barbaric :)

I think we should declare this thread 'MEN ONLY' :)

and..yes, its what being 'male' is partly about.. Dare I say 'protector, provider, etc :)
Posted by BOAZ_David, Tuesday, 8 November 2005 6:45:54 PM
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