[sekilau]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10586449

I was reading this news, I know it is about smack/smacking.
But, when I was still on the third paragraph, I read:


"I really couldn't watch it," she says from Malmo, near Stockholm, where she now works for the Swedish Corrections Service. "Let's face it, it's a violent game."


I ask myself: What??? Malmö, near Stockholm?

Then I check with a page call "citydistance"
http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm

The distance between Malmö and Stockholm is 513km
The distance between Auckland and Wellington is 493km

What will NZer think about when they read something like "Auckland, near Wellington" or vice verse?

[Tesall]

I think woman like this have no grip on the reality. In reference to rugby she really shouldnt judge something that she clearly has no knowledge on.


I am not going to touch the smacking debate with a barge pole.... :exit

[JandM]

I think woman like this have no grip on the reality. In reference to rugby she really shouldnt judge something that she clearly has no knowledge on.
I agree - with you, not her.

[newarrival]

I am sorry, but I think it is sort of funny when she says that the drinking culture is worse than in Sweden- hello??????
People from the Scandinavian Countries are quite "famous" for the amount of alcohol they try to drink in the shortest time possible due when they leave their countries, either on the ferries or in other countries where alcohol is far cheaper than in at home. At least that is my experience, and we used to go to Sweden and Denmark for vacation- and I had a friend from Finland:exit

[sweetpea]

I thought that article was pretty interesting. I'd encourage people to read the whole thing. The rugby thing was a bit of a red herring, and the Swedish psychologist was talking specifically about youth drinking, not adult drinking.

In part, the article states:

"After eight-and-a-half years in New Zealand, and now two years back in Sweden, 31-year-old Wilkstedt believes "toughness" runs deep in Kiwi culture.

"'It's very hard to put your finger on it,' she says.

"'I think there is this feeling about managing on your own and being a hard, tough person, especially for men - being quite independent and managing on your own without asking for help, and not showing your weak side and not talking about your feelings.'

----

That really rings true to me.

[dharder]

quoting the article here:
"'I think there is this feeling about managing on your own and being a hard, tough person, especially for men - being quite independent and managing on your own without asking for help, and not showing your weak side and not talking about your feelings.'

----

That really rings true to me.

The above is often quoted as one of the main reasons why the suicide and depression rate amongst men and male teenagers is so high. Most of her points actually aren't that new, and can be read up in various (NZ) studies dealing with violence in schools and the reasons for the high suicide rates.

I also happen to think that rugby is rather violent, and quite a number of (NZ) parents of boys I know are actively trying to discourage them from playing rugby, so I can't be the only one thinking it. However, I would probably draw different conclusions from this perception than the woman in the article, as I don't necessarily think that a regulated outlet for aggression is always a bad thing or leads to a more violent society. I mean, I haven't done any research on this, but I wouldn't think that the correlation is that clear and a society is necessarily more peaceful if you have only non-contact sports...

Personally, I had to throw the Herald away when reading in the 'no' column that someone seriously quoted James Dobson who I (personal opinion following) think is a lunatic that all credibility of the article was gone.

Daniela

[Tesall]

I also happen to think that rugby is rather violent, and quite a number of (NZ) parents of boys I know are actively trying to discourage them from playing rugby, so I can't be the only one thinking it. However, I would probably draw different conclusions from this perception than the woman in the article, as I don't necessarily think that a regulated outlet for aggression is always a bad thing or leads to a more violent society. I mean, I haven't done any research on this, but I wouldn't think that the correlation is that clear and a society is necessarily more peaceful if you have only non-contact sports...



Thats the point isnt it. Many boys naturally need a path to express the aggression that comes naturally. I would be fascinated if she could find a correlation between violence (off the field) and rugby. Is Wales more violent than England?

As for Mums steering thier children away from rugby, I find that very sad. If the child wants to play a rough and tumble sport within strict confines of rules and respect for the referee and authority, I see no harm. Surely it is the childs choice to put themsleves in mild harms way (they dont even tackle or wear boots at young age!), mothers arent really protecting thier kids, they are protecting themselves from worrying... selfish in my opinion.

[dharder]

As for Mums steering thier children away from rugby, I find that very sad.

Not to be argumentative here, but about half of my (granted, unrepresentative) sample were the fathers steering the children away.

Daniela

[bobo]

I think woman like this have no grip on the reality. In reference to rugby she really shouldnt judge something that she clearly has no knowledge on.


I am not going to touch the smacking debate with a barge pole.... :exit

I think she has over looked the fact that Finland plays a lot of Ice Hockey.

[Wooly_Cow]

An old saying goes ....

"Rugby is a thugs game played by gentlemen, football is a gentlemans game played by thugs"

Whilst there certainly serious injuries caused by rugby, there are also injuries in many sports, contact or otherwise. There are also injuries in life.....

IMHO it is a bigger risk allowing kids to NOT participate in sport, letting them get lazy, fat and very unhealthly both mentally and physically.

As a qualified sports coach I have first hand experience of the positive influence of sport on kids. I know cases of kids who have been able to turn their lives away from petty crime, drugs, and violence through the disipline of sport....and it seems to me the harder the sport the more disicpline there is.....if you want a good case study, read up or better still go and see Billy Graham and his boxing gym in Naenae.

Rugby IS a hard game, no doubt but in most case the aggression stops on the field, seldom is the ref abused and the team ethos of the game is to be envied by other sports.