jock

Despite the current sterotype that jocks are brainless idiots, it has been proven that most often really great athletes are also intellectuals. I find that most often people's disgust with athletes is due to their envy. (See also People who say they hate popularity contests, but bitch about their experience) Don't take out your percieved middle school and high school social oppression on other people.

The issue is that our society places emphasis on athletics over academics. This issue is important. While we need to encourage physical activity, we must also be sure to create an environment in which our jocks and homebodies alike strive to fulfill and expand their minds.

I see no reason why we need to emphasize physical activity. I've always liked the quote by a former president of my college, 'Whenever I get the urge to exercise, I lie down until it goes away'.

This is not just the psychological remnant of middle school and high school social oppression. The jock attitude continues well into college, and, once developed, probably never ends throughout life. Cops who beat the crap out of geeks, middle-management types who run football pools and ostracise workers who don't join in, fathers who mock their childrens' interests as 'faggotty'. These are the same types who go around gay-bashing anyone reads and shows interest in something other than sports; this happens more frequently than you might believe.

And, for the record, I would like to see the proof that the best athletes are also good intellectuals. Babe Ruth sure as hell wasn't. Sure this is inherently a stereotype, but so is the statement that the best athletes are also smart. There are probably exceptions (though none come to mind).

And, lastly, jocks are not the same thing as athletes. To be a jock demands a certain mental attitude of ridicule and competition.

job security = J = joe code

jock n.

1. A programmer who is characterized by large and somewhat brute-force programs. See brute force. 2. When modified by another noun, describes a specialist in some particular computing area. The compounds `compiler jock' and `systems jock' seem to be the best-established examples.

--The Jargon File version 4.3.1, ed. ESR, autonoded by rescdsk.

Jocks and Status

A jock is someone with an interest in athletics. To get the "jock" label, however, the person is usually outgoing and gregarious. In high school, jocks often get stereotyped as people who aren't intelligent, bully others, and get special treatment.

Some people mistake the label "jock" for "bully." Yes, some jocks are bullies. Some of them carry this attitude for the rest of their lives. But I work around high school students, and I see a broader picture. For every jock who fits the neanderthal stereotype, I can name at least one who is intelligent, friendly to all kinds of people, (especially once they hit the higher grades), and not the least bit interested in harassing people who may not be as popular.

Some jocks get unfair special treatment because high school culture in North America puts an emphasis on sports. So they become teacher's pets. They attract attractive girls. But some just receive attention because many people like to be around outgoing, confident people.

For every group of nerds or geeks who get unfairly abused for being different, for every homosexual or alleged homosexual student who receives mistreatment from bullies, for every girl who gets rejected for not being a complete babe and ends up saying, "I am uglier than you imagine"(I sympathize, I really do), there is usually one socially maladjusted person who makes no attempt to get to know others, deliberately treats others as though they are beneath him, and then whines when he faces social isolation and rejection.

Sometimes what appears to be special status is unfair. And sometimes, it's you.