Teacher’s Pet

In C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters,” a demon named Screwtape concludes the work with a toast given at a sort of banquet for chief tempters and gentledevils. The monologue is rendered from the point-of-view of an adversary of the human race and illumines something noteworthy about what is needed for Democracy to fail in the world.

Screwtape basically says that if the demons can continue to tempt the humans toward the mindset of parity and equity to the extent that there are no great humans, only the kind who assimilate and look to be “like folk,” then Democracy in the purest sense will end. Democracy with a capital D is a political framework that involves the will of the masses in choosing and relieving leadership. It is the epitome of accountability in governance. But lowercase that “d” and Screwtape says humans are doomed because they will have created a world where it’s embarrassing to strive for anything higher than the person next to you.

First of all, C.S. Lewis is always a great read but this notion speaks volumes to athletes. It was not uncommon for me to be ashamed of my intellect as a young basketball player. God forbid you be both athletic and smart. The basketball subculture sometimes takes two forms from what I’ve seen: #1 the inner city make it or die trying mentality and #2 the nothing to lose/everything to gain paradigm. The first is possessed namely by the impoverished hoopers who view sports as a vehicle to wealth and freedom. The latter is often the perspective of wealthy athletes who don’t typically fit the stereotypical profile. These wealthier kids tend to be educated and well coached with multiple options lying beyond a high school diploma. Conversely, the poor ball players are desperate and have learned to see only one way out. It’s but one of many ways that our society teaches us that excellence beyond normative achievement is undemocratic. And that’s frightening.

If basketball taught me anything it’s that competing extends not from the court to the real world but from the soul to everything we attempt. Competing is as universal to how we live as breathing is. It will continue to be what separates one human from another while simultaneously serving the needs of humanity as a whole.