Physical training as a factor in social ethics / Jakob Bolin.

  • Bolin, Jakob, 1863-1914.
Date:
[1907?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physical training as a factor in social ethics / Jakob Bolin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    against one. It is bad, immoral, reprehensible, even if not prohibited by the rules. It seems to me to be a direct training to such anti-social acts in later life as, for in- stance, combinations in restraint of trade. At the recent Olympic games the winner of the Marathon race was a fine young fellow, fine physically, bright intellectually and morally clean, as we understand it. He won his race fairly within the rules. I do not wish to detract from his honor, but I cannot help consider that, judged from a higher moral standpoint than the one generally accepted, there is a serious cloud to his title. He had been at Athens for a month, had run the road almost daily during that time, and he himself ascribed his victory to the fact that he knew every part of the course, every declivity, every hill, every place where he could with advantage let himself out and where he should save himself, while the other competitors were unacquainted with these con- ditions. You may say: Well, what of it? He had ac- cumulated an extra knowledge and was entitled to the results. Why did not the others do the same? Why did they not look out for themselves? All of which is cor- rect reasoning if the main thing to be considered was the victory to be won. But according to my viewpoint it was not. It was to be a test of skill, endurance and strength under equal conditions for all competitors, and the conditions were not equal. While I am on the subject of competitive exercises I cannot refrain from calling attention to the evil influ- ence of the athletic spirit. I mean the spirit which de- mands prizes of any kind, be it in the form of cups, medals or personal aggrandizement in the public press. Are we not by these elements introducing a force which tends to develop citizens who in after life will inquire if such or such a course pays them? We certainly do not thereby train people who are willing to do things for the things themselves. But I do not principally think of organized games as being factors in the development of a socially ethical race. These games are after all only for the more mature ones. I am more concerned about the actions of the lit- tle folks in their more or less unorganized play, where the guidance of the adult is absolutely necessary.
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