2 ms·

Sport has an older meaning, of anything one does in leisure for the enjoyment of it. Hunting was always sport, and certainly in English circles, the question of

Sport has an older meaning, of anything one does in leisure for the enjoyment of it. Hunting was always sport, and certainly in English circles, the question of good sportsmanship, and what is sporting, have also always been applied to hunting in those very terms. It's not a game, however. That's what you hunt.

bee_rider 3y ago
I’m aware that it is a thing, but it still makes no sense to me, in the framework of fairness. It sounds like it is still a game, just a single-player one, the player is handicapping themself not out of a sense of fairness but in the interest of keeping it fun. It seems really inhumane, to be honest. However we gussy it up, any rules of sportsmanship that get in the way of a good quick clean kill are just animal cruelty with extra steps. Lots of traditions, in retrospect, don’t look so great—dogfighting, bullfighting. Times change.
- fuzzfactor 3y ago
  I always figured that the more athletic ability, strategy, and respectable behavior that was required of the humans in order to prevail, the more sporting the pursuit whether there were any games or competitions involved at all.
  - bee_rider 3y ago
    > I always figured that the more athletic ability, strategy, But why do people want to do that? I think the purpose is to provide enjoyment, entertainment, fun. > and respectable behavior This is where I want to quibble most I think. The only respectable way to kill an animal is in the manner that causes the least possible pain and suffering. If there comes a point where fun impedes the goal of reducing the suffering, then that fun is evil. I’m probably missing something because I don’t see any distinction between sports and games other than an arbitrary social classification that calls the former more respectable. (The deer don’t see it either, though).
    - fuzzfactor 3y ago
      Well, I did want to frame my comment in a way that would still apply for those whose point of view is that no type of hunting is sportsmanlike in their opinion.

bee_rider 3y ago

I’m aware that it is a thing, but it still makes no sense to me, in the framework of fairness. It sounds like it is still a game, just a single-player one, the player is handicapping themself not out of a sense of fairness but in the interest of keeping it fun. It seems really inhumane, to be honest. However we gussy it up, any rules of sportsmanship that get in the way of a good quick clean kill are just animal cruelty with extra steps. Lots of traditions, in retrospect, don’t look so great—dogfighting, bullfighting. Times change.

fuzzfactor 3y ago
I always figured that the more athletic ability, strategy, and respectable behavior that was required of the humans in order to prevail, the more sporting the pursuit whether there were any games or competitions involved at all.
- bee_rider 3y ago
  > I always figured that the more athletic ability, strategy, But why do people want to do that? I think the purpose is to provide enjoyment, entertainment, fun. > and respectable behavior This is where I want to quibble most I think. The only respectable way to kill an animal is in the manner that causes the least possible pain and suffering. If there comes a point where fun impedes the goal of reducing the suffering, then that fun is evil. I’m probably missing something because I don’t see any distinction between sports and games other than an arbitrary social classification that calls the former more respectable. (The deer don’t see it either, though).
  - fuzzfactor 3y ago
    Well, I did want to frame my comment in a way that would still apply for those whose point of view is that no type of hunting is sportsmanlike in their opinion.