Happy New Year everyone!
How’s everyone’s weekend going? Thanks for spending a portion of it with the Six.
It’s been almost a week since Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills football player, collapsed in front of a captive global audience and almost died on the field during an NFL game.
The stunningly raw reactions of his teammates, faced with the knowledge Hamlin basically flatlined and had to be revived by medical personnel, will not soon be removed from our memories. It was an oddly visceral shared moment in American history and amplified by social media; all-too-common and familiar in 2023.
The good: former NFL players going on television and communicating their emotions to viewers. Only they know how it feels to to play such a violent game and how in a moment’s notice, it can be taken away. Steve Young, the famous former ex-49er Hall of Fame quarterback, summed it up best when he said on ESPN, “you know what you are getting yourself into when you play this game. But you don’t sign up for death.” That’s powerful stuff,
The bad: corporate media using the incident to drum up an old argument about why football is ruinous for society. The NY Times, in an article written by their lead NFL writer, argued that football is horrible and that athletes who play it are too stupid to make their own health decisions. These are the same writers who admonished the NFL (and college football) for playing games in the fall of 2020, when Covid Hysteria swept the country.
If they hate the game so much, why not quit? Save us your sermonizing bullshit.
I’m not even diving into the vaccine debate that instantly popped up seconds after Hamlin collapsed on the field (more on that in the first linked article).
We all can agree on one thing –– Hamlin’s reported recovery is terrific news. That evolution allows his teammates to get in the right head space to take the field again. If there are actions the sport can take to make it safer as a response, it will (a push for more CPR training for on-field personnel at all levels would be good start).
But we have to move forward. Play on.
And we must diminish the impact of fear-mongering morons. That fight presses on as the calendar flips to 2023.
There will be football this weekend. And that’s a good thing for our country.
Let’s proceed with the Six.
1. Cardiac Arrest in Athletes: What is Known and Knowable.
Let’s wipe away all the partisanship and get to brass tacks. What do we know about cardiac arrest in athletes? A fascinating newsletter read from Dr. Robert W. Malone, a scientist/physician/commentator. Malone covers the whole gamut of debates resulting from Monday’s events. Highlights are how it’s irresponsible for “state-sponsored press to be declaring that this was not due in some part to a vaccine injury this early in the game” and how “the corporate press getting in and attempting to skew the public opinion is a despicable move, but typical. Particularly when these attempts involve both strong arming and attacking their “opponents” while using the tragic injury of a young man as a weapon.” Right on, doc.
2. New Jersey Mandates Media Literacy For Students.
I don’t believe there is anything more important to educate young people on today than the art of discernment. How do you parse information? How do you attack the argument and not the person? Truth vs fable? All essential skills to learn and master. But if that education is coming from government institutions –– i.e., mandates from state legislatures and backed by teacher’s unions –– there’s reason to be highly skeptical. The state of New Jersey has taken the bold step of signing into law a state-wide requirement for all K-12 students every year to undergo “media literacy” training because, according to Governor Chris Murphy, “democracy is under attack.” Be suspicious anytime a politician or union rep uses such dogmatic language. In New Jersey, the Disinformation Mobsters have found their way into public education. Yikes.
3. Why All Your Stuff is Actually Worse Now.
Before current inflationary market spiked prices, we expected to pay roughly the same for something now that we paid for a similar item ten years ago. Companies that produce products know that so they roughly make the same item and price it at roughly the same price. However, because costs of everything go up over time — materials, labor, energy, you name it — we’re getting a crappier product than we think we’re getting and, most likely, the people making it are being paid less and are working under worse conditions than before. The article via Vox focuses mostly with fashion but applies to electronics, cars and other stuff too. Basically, everything is more expensive and kinda sucks.
4. Why Do Kids Hate Music Lessons?
Making steady –– and enjoyable –– progress towards any goal requires a high level of commitment and dedication from both pupil and their parents. The author of this piece from Walrus magazine argues that when it comes to learning to play the piano or flute, for instance, that combination –– commitment plus dedication to practice of craft –– is rare and hard to cultivate. Musical education straddles the line between "the loose creativity of art and the rule-bound framework of sport.” A certain degree of natural talent always helps but I think music lessons has taken a back seat to youth sports in this country. Kids that would have taken guitar lessons 30 years ago are now playing 19 lacrosse games in a weekend tournament. Who has time to learn the opening riff to “Smoke on the Water?”
5. James Patterson’s Daily Routine.
GQ conducts an interview with the incredibly prolific author, who claims to have 31 book projects active at one time. He works with a "stable of co-writers,” does about 11 hours of reading and writing a day, and works seven days a week, with breaks for golf. He writes longhand and then an assistant types his manuscripts. Patterson’s explanation for why he still works this hard, with more money in the bank than God and at the age of 75? "I've always been a hungry dog,” he says. Keep huntin’, James.
6. Don’t Torture Yourself Over New Year’s Resolutions.
An insightful read on the subject of personal resolutions. Via The Atlantic, the author argues how the older we all get, there's really is no such thing as a fresh start; you are still you. "Day-ish" rather than "daily" practices are more sustainable. Doing something briefly is better than doing nothing at all. These benign corrective ideas are antithetical to the billion-dollar self-improvement industry that believes all of us are capable of monumental change at any time. I do agree with one idea from the author –– wait until the middle of January to make slight behavioral tweaks, when the "new year, new you" fervor has diminished. Light roast cup o’ joe vs. going right to the hard dark stuff before 9 am? Hmm. I’ll put that decision off until next week.
Thanks for reading everybody and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Have a suggestion for The Sunday Six? Send email to jonjkerr@gmail.com.
And to think - so many of the quoted issues to deal with, and people lost their minds about kneeling on the football field. I was so glad to see numerous players now kneeling and praying in support of Damar Hamlin. That is brotherhood on display!
More good reading, Jon! Thank you, and a belated happy new year to you and your subscribers.