Is watching football immoral?

Edition: US - Today's top story: Is it immoral to watch football? [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 29 September 2018 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note The start of fall also means the start of football season. But, as in previous years, this season is already overshadowed by controversy – from quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s collusion case against the NFL to the high rate of head injuries among players. All of which leads Penn State’s Francisco Javier López Frías and SUNY’s Cesar R. Torres to ask: “[Is watching football morally problematic](?” Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court has now been approved by the Judiciary Committee along party lines and sent to the full Senate. But Sen. Jeff Flake and others called for a delay in that vote while the FBI investigates sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh and President Trump has ordered that investigation. So should Kavanaugh be held accountable for his alleged bad behavior as a teen? Women’s studies professor Ashwini Tambe explains the origins of the idea that adolescence is [a time of storm and stress]( – and why we’re more likely to claim “boys will be boys” than “girls will be girls.” Back in August, a British soccer team painted the visitors’ locker room of its home stadium pink, hoping that the color – which some psychologists say has a calming effect – will give them a competitive advantage. Iowa State design expert Julie Irish writes about [what the research says on the color pink](. Does it actually reduce aggression? Or is this an assumption simply rooted in gender stereotypes? Kalpana Jain Senior Religion + Ethics Editor Top stories What ethical issues should you consider when watching football? Chris Brooks/flickr.com [Is it immoral to watch football?]( Francisco Javier López Frías, Pennsylvania State University; Cesar R. Torres, The College at Brockport, State University of New York Football plays an important role in American culture. Experts point out some ethical questions you might consider asking this season. Are white boys given longer to grow up? Everett Collection/Shutterstock [Teen ‘boys will be boys’: A brief history]( Ashwini Tambe, University of Maryland What exactly do we mean by teenage behavior? And who gets to be this kind of teenager? Some believe the color pink can calm unruly inmates. Others say it’s a form of humiliation. Mohd KhairilX/Shutterstock.com [Can pink really pacify?]( Julie Irish, Iowa State University Famously feminized by the Nazis – and later used in prison cells to limit aggression in inmates – the color pink toes a shaky line between social psychology and gender stereotyping. Economy + Business [Kavanaugh confirmation a reminder: Accused sexual harassers get promoted anyway]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon In promoting men to positions of power, companies and other organizations have frequently brushed aside allegations of sexual assault and harassment. [50 years of the Boeing 747: How the ‘queen of the skies’ reigned over air travel]( Janet Bednarek, University of Dayton On Sept. 30, 1968, the first Boeing 747 rolled off the assembly line, ready to hit the skies as the bigger commercial jet at the time. Today, as its days as a civilian carrier come to a close, the first jumbo jet remains an icon of aviation. Science + Technology [Memories of trauma are unique because of how brains and bodies respond to threat]( Jacek Debiec, University of Michigan Two neural systems record traumatic memories, meaning they can be remembered in both conscious and unconscious ways. 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Health + Medicine [Mapping the 100 trillion cells that make up your body]( Mark Atkinson, University of Florida First, scientists wanted to decode all three billions units of the human genome. Now, a new effort will identify all the cell types in the human body to discover the roots of diseases, like diabetes. [Why older skin heals with less scarring]( Thomas Leung, University of Pennsylvania When kids get injured their skin heals fast, but usually with nasty-looking scars. Now scientists studying the genes of old mice have figured out how they regenerate skin and block scars. Ethics + Religion - [Thirty years on, why ‘The Satanic Verses’ remains so controversial]( Myriam Renaud, University of Chicago Author Salman Rushdie's book goes to the heart of Muslim religious beliefs and challenges some of the most sensitive tenets. Education [Hiring highly educated immigrants leads to more innovation and better products]( Gaurav Khanna, University of California San Diego; Munseob Lee, University of California San Diego New research shows recruiting high-skilled immigrants leads to a 'meaningful' increase in innovation – and even more than spending money on research and development. [Trusting states to do right by special education students is a mistake]( Matthew Brock, The Ohio State University Things could get worse for special education students if the Trump administration follows through on its plans to give states more leeway when it comes to how they treat special education students. [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111