Summary:
Martin in “Destroyed” addresses the issue of people doping and
using mind enhancers and what effect those have on the game and the players.
Martin believes that the pureness of sports has been lost, but that the sport’s
rules are not the primary issue at hand. The issue that people should be most
concerned about is the health of the users and what effect it has on their life
now and in the future.
Paraphrase of Paragraph Ten:
Mind enhancers such as doping and steroids are a risk to the
original point of sports. They contest the principles and standards of those
who created the sports, from the Greeks to early Olympians who had official
competitions. The drugs make the sports less humane. However the main issue is
not that of the fairness and purity of sports, it is that of the athlete
competing in them. Newscasters, fans, and commentators are disheartened at the
loss of the original concept of the games; but when will everyone care about
the loss of the health of the athletes? (Martin 582)
A Stand Out Quote:
“Athletes—those who dope, who take steroids, who
cheat—are victims of far more serious maladies than their sports.” (Martin 582)
The reason that I chose this quote is because I believe this was a
turning point in Martin’s essay as far as what the true issues of performance
enhancers are. In the essay Martin began discussing how the enhancers affected
the morale and the purity of the game. In paragraph nine, Martin alludes to the
issue that enhancers are not only effect the game but the life and safety of
the players. This was what I perceived to be Martin’s main point of the
essay.
I commented on Marissa's Blog and Jennifer's Blog.
