Disabled wrestlers enter the ring in Japan | Hacker News Reader

Disabled wrestlers enter the ring in Japan

bbc.co.uk

31 pointsgadders11 comments

I'm not sure about this. I get it that this allows and outlet and brotherhood/sisterhood bonding of people in similar situations, but isn't this the case because these people are so marginalized that they have no other way to self-realize?

You can take a group of chronically starving people and fling food at them at prescribed times and they'll feel happy someone is flinging good food at them, never the less, that's not a desirable state, nor is this kind of last ditch effort of asserting oneself. These people should have other avenues available to them which dont involve the infliction of pain, which, it would appear, gives at least some of them the illusion or actuality being valued by themselves, at least.

Who else are they going to wrestle?

No one, they should be given other outlets to self realization, rather than this kind of circus. They could try skiing or any other kind of paralympic sport which doesn't dehumanize them.

Wrestling is dehumanizing? How so? I know a handful of people who love practicing and competing.

Shouldn't they be allowed to choose how they self-realize rather than other people "giving them outlets to self-realization?"

I think this is a really good point. However, I think that the point is: If given other non-pain inducing, positive "self-realization" opportunities how many of these people would choose to wrestle instead of pursuing other opportunities? Perhaps some would still choose to wrestle, but certainly many others would choose other outlets if they existed.

I don't know why you are being downvoted, as you bring up a good point.

The is if not abusive then the start of a slippery slope, and you make a good argument for why that is.

It's an interesting problem: allow them to wrestle and watch it "in support" and it's borderline taking advantage. Ban them from performing a sport and its discrimination.

I'm unclear, is this professional wrestling (staged and heavily choreographed) or is this more akin to MMA, where the bouts are not predetermined and the fighting is "for real"?

and I thought sumo wrestling was just really fat people trying to get to the other side.

Somewhat tangential, but "disabled" sounds to me like they're completely unable to do anything, which is obviously not the case here. Compare with a disabled car/plane/ship/etc. I think "handicapped" sounds to me more correct for "degraded ability" that describes these people.

Since when does "disabled" mean "completely unable to do anything"?

Mirriam Webster:

> DISABLED: incapacitated by illness or injury; also : physically or mentally impaired in a way that substantially limits activity especially in relation to employment or education

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