Judge, 1922-12-23 · page 10 of 36
Judge — December 23, 1922 — page 10: what you’re looking at
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# "Salvation Through Suffering" by Heywood Broun This satirical essay mocks the American obsession with painful exercise as moral virtue. Broun argues that gymnasium-goers endure discomfort—flying rings, chest weights, winter swimming—not for genuine health but to achieve a quasi-religious sense of self-sacrifice and character-building. The cartoons illustrate this absurdity: men performing difficult gymnastics exercises ("The strength of soul," "Flying rings for grace," "Manly art") that serve no practical purpose beyond the pain itself. Broun's joke targets middle-class American attitudes circa the early 20th century that conflated physical suffering with spiritual worth. He suggests this mirrors religious hair-shirt asceticism. He also notes that competition transforms exercise: friendly amateur boxing instantly becomes hostile once someone lands a solid punch, revealing that the supposed noble character-building is actually just ego and aggression in disguise. The satire cuts at American self-righteousness about fitness and masculinity.
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HE appars in a gymns must be extremely good for ealth because it is all so painful. Flying rings for grace. Sal ration Through Suffering by Heywood Broun Sketches by Weed apparatus in a gymnasium > can understand the use of flying The strength of soul. rings and such like in a cireus, where people get 1 for it, but we have always been a little puzzled as to why will puff through this monstrous ¢ without hope of reward. Perhaps there is in it the suggestion of adventure. ; there is the ever present possi- | me may manage to catch a ring some time. But, of course, the striking thing about gymnasium work is the fact that even the mistakes count in as exercise. Some- times there is more virtue in doing wrong things than right. Half the benefit of throwing the medicine ball comes when vou miss it and block off the force of the blow with you fomen. Personally we -righteous feeling out of ss it is very dull or unpleas- tis why we prefer gymnasiums. It is just a game and though it may be health- ful it doesn’t get down deep cnough into 8 discomfort to touch the soul. The ec- static fecling of being a martyr belongs only to those who get their exercise in a gymnasium, PARE 3 a thing like chest weights, for instance. ody could — possibly think of pullin m up and letting them fall back again just for the fun of it. There wouldn't be any sense to it, No, such activity is just ex and nothing 1 whenever we manage to keep business If hour or so we go away with an absolutely glowing admiration for our strength of character. Swimming pools offer even bre . portunities for excessive — self-sacrifice. There is only one selfish reason for going into a tank in winter, and that is the enormous relief experienced by the swim- mer when he climbs out. But chiefly it is altruism which prompts the plur rather a desire to develop through and suffering. There is an undeniable kinship between the holy man of old who put on a hair shirt and tramped across the desert and the modern person who bundles up in several sweaters and rolls around the running track. For some subtle ph which we do not ow sciousness is a foe of perspiration deed, there is a proverb about a watched pot, or something like that. Still that doesn't seem quite pertinent. What we an is that competition puts nsity into athletics quite t h of the solitary athle hard he may Work at ra Even the most fervent performer can't put his soul into pulling the « hts even if he is able to contribut his hack and shoul But give him a competitor, even though the contest is nothing me than raising dumb-bells, and a new light will ¢ and ferocity will enter t or into his eyes » proceedit HAT, for instance, with amateur boxing. rough is the trouble It’s always too heard the phrase mt.” Now as a matter of f s no such thing. Friendship ceases s the instant cither boxer lands cleanly and solidly on the ni n exceedingly narrow ce from a friendly bout on a steamer crossing the Pacifie. ; getting up deck sports and " chaitnan edous to spar four rounds with another passenger whom we > Manly art.