Comments on: Are Jocks Jerks?

By: Earl

Earl — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:14:24 +0000

A further comment to PatrickM: When you call the victims of bullying liars, you are rubbing salt into their wounds. Don’t deny the reality of other people’s experiences.

By: Earl

Earl — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:07:55 +0000

This comment is directed to PatrickM: So, I guess all those who say they were bullied by “jocks” in high school are all lying?

By: JustinButNotTHATJustin

JustinButNotTHATJustin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:34:56 +0000

I think anyone who is focused on one subject can become a jerk. I’m sure there are plenty of violin jerks around. Being well-rounded as a child is essential for non-jerkiness.

By: PatrickM

PatrickM — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:32:27 +0000

I can’t say I agree with this study at all. For all intents and purposes, I was a “jock”. I was obsessed with my sport during high school and went on to win the state championship before graduating. I’m also a huge geek. I don’t think that makes me some sort of anomaly. I think the whole “jock/prep” vs “dorks/dweebs” deal is mostly a fabrication. Just as false as the idea of the American college experience (Animal House, Revenge of the Nerds, etc) It’s simply an attempt to “explain” a mostly inapplicable idea of adolescent social Darwinism where those with athletic ability are somehow inherently against anything different.

By: ted

ted — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:47:00 +0000

Team sports deliberately fosters a team mentality and a competitive mentality. This can lead to groups of bullies in ways that the chess club never could.

By: Ahundred

Ahundred — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:38:28 +0000

I played four years of Pop Warner football and I consider myself very kind, it didn’t make me mean anymore than it kept me from going gay.

By: Candace Scott

Candace Scott — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:33:46 +0000

I found it interesting that they didn’t compare the them to people who didn’t play sports at all, but participated in the things like 4-H and the Scouts. They compared people who played sports only, and those who included other things like 4-H, what about the people who went to things like 4-H exclusively and didn’t participate in sports at all?

By: Gauldar

Gauldar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:06:58 +0000

@Dandy

I highly disagree with you. It’s a generalization to state that all successful jocks are social people, it all depends on the individual. Also, some people have gotten so good at “faking it” for PR reasons. Don’t get me wrong, there may actually be a good amount of great people out there, but “all”? I don’t think so.

By: Dandy

Dandy — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:56:32 +0000

More psycho-babble BS…

The study didn’t bother to find that the top successfull jocks are the nicest guys/gals you’d ever want to meet.

Only the wanna-bes and losers are jerks.

By: Gauldar

Gauldar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:44:33 +0000

Yeah, personality types are drawn to the activity that suits them, not the other way around. I wonder how many of these funded researches are staged just to provide the answer the sponsor wants.

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:35:32 +0000

I think physical sports like football simply attract the highly aggressive/jerk type of person rather than it making them into bullies.

Just thinking back to my own high school experience, sure there were some bullies who played sports. However, I think they were in the extreme minority of sport players. (including the really physical ones)

I also take issue when people automatically assume that jocks are just big, dumb, bullies by default and you must prove otherwise. Some of the smartest people in my class were on the football, basketball, or baseball team.

By: Skipweasel

Skipweasel — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:12:33 +0000

Of course, kids can be nasty little thugs without the aid of sport – some have an innate talent for being viscious little buggers.

By: seefish3

seefish3 — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:08:00 +0000

As much as I hate jocks, this is just another skewed study that becomes an ad for the org that proposed it.