Not once and for all perhaps, but taking contention to blows is culturally valid in some places.
I am not Inuit so, as I understand it, in traditional Inuit cultures contention between individuals in their communities can be resolved by a contest of wits. The winner, identified by dint of audience applause, gets to take a chunk from the loser's scalp. Unresolved contention is expensive in a small isolated community with a climate which is hostile. Community life relies on cooperation, so troublemakers with too much lip and without the wit or recognised argument to take out their opponent have scalps scarred with ill advised contention.

Check out the film Atanarjuat, (Fast Runner). For a similar epic battle but with fewer words.

Perhaps this kind of strategy could be the next big thing for 'Reality' media: Participants and directors notched if their approval rating drops lower than competitors. Like Ping, spanked for being the last duck back to his boat on the Yellow Yangtse River.

As an E2 poet it is probably unwise to node this practice.
I can imagine one of us poor fools stepping away from the next nodermeet with an exemplary haircut.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.