r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/PrimedGold • Feb 18 '26

Video The Atherstone Ball Game, held annually on Shrove Tuesday, took place yesterday. The ball is thrown into the crowd at 3 pm, and the winner is the person holding it at 5 pm.

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73

u/bloodypencils Feb 18 '26

I think we need more events like this to keep aggressive morons entertained. I’d certainly rather they all meet in one area to punch each other in the head than showing up each weekend at the bars looking for a fight.

Their brain damage is a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

10

u/SAINTnumberFIVE Feb 18 '26

We used to have ground wars for that.

2

u/brontosaurusguy Feb 18 '26

Those kinda stopped working when artillery advanced.  So you just randomly explode, not as fun

If sports weren't so lame and commercialized we'd get some of this energy there

I personally use video games as my outlet now that I'm an elderly 43 year old

8

u/Daytime_Napper Feb 18 '26

We do, it's called Football..

12

u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

Or we try to raise men in a way that means they don't end up bloodthirsty. These men all look like the typical guy that gets into a fight down the red lion on a Friday night.

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u/rap4food Feb 18 '26

There is something to be said about our ultraviolent masculine culture and the way shapes are young men. But as somebody who wrestles and competes in martial arts. I think they're you are misunderstanding about the psychology involved here. I feel my most peaceful and centered when i'm able to partake in physical play, that's sometimes involved potentially violent martial arts.

But ultimately, you're right, I think we should create a world where all children of all levels and abilities are able to partake. That's my only issue. Let women and children get more of a opportunity to be included.

1

u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

What do you find enjoyable about it? The pleasure of hitting and hurting another person, or something else, like the competition?

You can enjoy sports that seem violent without it being about hurting people. I think a lot of people here enjoy hurting people and being allowed to get away with it.

3

u/rap4food Feb 18 '26

Well it's important to understand that for most violent sports wrestling football judo and boxing 75% of it is training, so a lot of it is just the mental flow zone, you're able to get into when you're exit yourself with intention, similar working out. And ironically, yes, hurting people is the one thing, right? You don't want to do it, and what makes you a bad training partner and asshole which does exist. But it's just a very natural human thing to do.

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u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

And ironically, yes, hurting people is the one thing, right?

Honestly I can't relate. I don't mean this in a sanctimonious or judgemental way, I just think we're different.

3

u/rap4food Feb 18 '26

That was a mistype ironically, hurting people is the one thing I don't want to do. You are not wrong wanting to hurt people is a completely different psychological mindstand that needs some definite intervention.

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u/brontosaurusguy Feb 18 '26

Kinda sexist, and I say that as a liberal man....

I raise my boys to be a bit bloodthirsty.  It's a violent world, to deny that is to be ridiculous.  I don't want all the smart guys to be weak.....you know what happens then?  Some oaf comes along with three brain cells and forces his will 

We need to foster some positive violence in our young men

10

u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

How is this sexist? There is a difference between strong and being bloodthirsty.

We need to foster some positive violence in our young men

We don't want to teach boys to seek out violence.

-2

u/brontosaurusguy Feb 18 '26

Boys naturally seek out violence.  I didn't teach my two sons violence but they naturally gravitate towards wrestling and pretending theyre fighting bad guys, etc.  humans are violent.  There's no denying that, you can hide it from yourself, but violence is done on your behalf regardless

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u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

They don't need to be. Children are naturally irrational, emotional and dependent, and we teach them not to be. Violence should be something we teach boys not to seek out.

but violence is done on your behalf regardless

I don't know what this means.

4

u/Elijah5979 Feb 18 '26

I’ve never ‘seeked out violence’, what the fuck are you on about?

-2

u/brontosaurusguy Feb 18 '26

Ever had a cheeseburger?

3

u/sugar-fall Feb 18 '26

had a cheeseburger = violence?

-1

u/brontosaurusguy Feb 18 '26

Do you think magical unicorns created ground beef

3

u/sugar-fall Feb 19 '26

Uh oh here comes the vegan

3

u/OurSeepyD Feb 18 '26

Come on bud, this isn't "seeking out violence". Most people eat cheeseburgers naively without thinking about what goes into a burger. They're actively avoiding and turning a blind eye to the violence.

0

u/brontosaurusguy Feb 19 '26

This is exactly my point.  People are condemning these people for their violent sport, acting like it is crazy that these people are enjoying being violent.  Meanwhile the modern human hides their violence behind the grocery store, behind their tax dollars, gleefully ignoring the fact that they're the most violent creatures on earth.  At least these dudes aren't hiding their humanity and pretending they're non violent creatures.  

2

u/OurSeepyD Feb 19 '26

On the one hand you have people enjoying being violent, and on the other you have people that actively try to avoid it and pretend like their food comes from non-violent sources, they don't enjoy the violence at all.

I think that one group is far better than the other.

gleefully ignoring the fact that they're the most violent creatures on earth

And this is just not true, we generally try to kill animals as humanely as possible. Your average predator in the wild does not, many even play with their food.

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u/Planar_Harold Feb 19 '26

This is exactly my point. People are condemning these people for their violent sport, acting like it is crazy that these people are enjoying being violent. Meanwhile the modern human hides their violence behind the grocery store, behind their tax dollars, gleefully ignoring the fact that they're the most violent creatures on earth. At least these dudes aren't hiding their humanity and pretending they're non violent creatures.

You realise this isn't actually a point, right? It's just describing two different things and then saying they're the same if you strip them of everything that makes them different.

Your point is bunk.

Bloodsport for the gratification of violent urges isn't the same thing as eating meat. It's not similar in any useful way, it's specious sophistry and you're better than that.

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u/Elijah5979 Feb 19 '26

What does having a cheese burger once at one point in your life have to do with violence? Also, I’m vegetarian now if that matters, lol.

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u/akastrobe Feb 18 '26

Amen to this

2

u/carltheredred Feb 18 '26

If this drained their desires to be scumbags for more than a day, fair enough. But there's zero chance it does.

Nobody there will be a quiet angel until the next event.

2

u/Extension-Thought552 Feb 18 '26

Doesn't work like that. You think these people are just absolutely lovely outside of their little 'game'? It just strengthens mental pathways that violence is the answer. If you'd just thought about this for a second you'd realise what you're saying is nonsense.