Saturday, September 13, 2014

In re Adrian Peterson

The Bill James quote from yesterday again applies:

What Watergate was about was not the corruption of government, as most people thought, but rather, the establishment of new and higher standards of ethical conduct. Almost all scandals, I think, result not from the invention of new evils, but from the imposition of new ethical standards.

Adrian Peterson grew up in a world where the switch was used. As an adult, he lives in a different world. He apparently didn't know that. As we are regularly reminded, ignorance of the law is no excuse.


Adrian Peterson is not a role model, either. And if he is going to raise his kids, or even have a role in their lives, he's going to have to find a way to live in the world we all occupy today, not a world that no longer exists.

7 comments:

W.B. Picklesworth said...

You are assuming way too much on this one, Mr. D. This is another in a long line of cultural understandings that is being re-written in public space, but continues to exist in private. I'm sure that there are fewer people who practice corporal correction than 2 generations ago, just as there are fewer people who would condemn homosexuality outright. But plenty such people exist.

I think the more pertinent point is that one culture in America is seeking to destroy a rival culture.Vive la tolerance! They do seem to be having some success, but we'll see how it plays out over the long term.

Mr. D said...

I think the more pertinent point is that one culture in America is seeking to destroy a rival culture. Vive la tolerance! They do seem to be having some success, but we'll see how it plays out over the long term.

Yep. And the destroyers are implacable.

Gino said...

it wasnt all that long ago when i not only spanked my kids, they got slapped across the face a few times as well (defending on the issue).

i only struck my bare hand. i dint much like the idea of bringing weapons into childhood discipline.

that said... a lot of parents let their tempers get away from them, and spank too hard, or harder than they intended.
it doesnt make AP a bad guy, unless he refuses to learn from it.

Mr. D said...

a lot of parents let their tempers get away from them, and spank too hard, or harder than they intended.
it doesnt make AP a bad guy, unless he refuses to learn from it.


I agree, and I want to be clear about this -- I'm not saying that corporal punishment is always wrong. What seems to be at issue here is that Peterson may have crossed a line. We have a lot of trouble sorting out where the lines are these days.

The reason I keep using the Bill James quote is that he is talking about the imposition of new, higher standards. I don't necessarily think that he means the higher standards are superior to the standards they supplant. And the key word is imposition.

Gino said...

i saw the pics of APs kid on TMZ. yup, he really gave it to him... old school. a bit much if you ask me, but not much more than 1/2 of 'the greatest generation' was laying into their own kids with.

but now, is it really about imposing higher standards, or is it about claiming higher moral ground for oneself when the real issue is agenda driven (partisan hackery with w-gate, driving news stories with the NFL).

maybe TMZ will show their altruism by suspending ads and pop ups when reading one of these links?

Mr. D said...

but now, is it really about imposing higher standards, or is it about claiming higher moral ground for oneself when the real issue is agenda driven (partisan hackery with w-gate, driving news stories with the NFL).

If you are a bien pensant, your standards are higher by definition. As Pat Paulsen memorably stated it, nearly 50 years ago now -- "I've upped my standards. Now up yours."

Bike Bubba said...

If I remember correctly, the whole lower body of the kid was covered with bruises and such, no? Including private areas, right?

I don't know for a fact whether previous generations would have tolerated that, but as much as I endorse corporal punishment, this crosses a line for me. The point is to inflict mild pain to remind the child that his behavior was wrong, not to injure him.