--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In an effort to civilize combat sports…" description: "\"In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities mandated padded gloves and instantly made the sports far more savage. Granted, putting gloves on th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg" --- # In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities… ![“In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities mandated padded gloves and instantly made the sports far more savage. Granted, putting gloves on the hands seems like a nice thing to do. If you were being punched in the brain by a powerful man, wouldn't you rather he strap a pillow around his…” quote by Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg) > “In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities mandated padded gloves and instantly made the sports far more savage. Granted, putting gloves on the hands seems like a nice thing to do. If you were being punched in the brain by a powerful man, wouldn't you rather he strap a pillow around his fist? But the glove doesn't do anything to diminish your brain damage.” [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Safety gear can paradoxically increase aggression, as perceived protection invites riskier behavior. **In simple terms:** Gloves make fights seem safer, leading to more savagery. Key Takeaway Beware of risk compensation. Themes risk technology human behavior aggression unintended consequences Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports regulation - equipment design - policy making - public health Key Concepts risk compensation behavioral economics psychology of safety Questions to Reflect On - How does perceived safety change behavior? - What safeguards can offset risk compensation? A Different Perspective Assumes all participants act rationally about risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Combat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combat/) [Damage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damage/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Powerful man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful-man/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know how my mother did it, but I had boxing gloves on my hands when I was born!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-gatti/i-don-t-know-how-my-mother-did-it-but-i-had-boxing-gloves-on-my-hands/) Fabio Gatti > [“Now, whoever has courage and a strong and collected spirit in his breast, let him come forward, lace on the gloves and put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/now-whoever-has-courage-and-a-strong-and-collected-spirit-in-his/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [I'm sure I'll find some use for the dress before summer."Kavill nodded, and closed his thick ledger. "Do let me know if it causes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-m-sure-i-ll-find-some-use-for-the-dress-before-summer-kavill-nodded/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [A boxing contest is a brain-damage contest. Who can give out more brain damage and who can absorb more of it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/a-boxing-contest-is-a-brain-damage-contest-who-can-give-out-more/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [We all love Conor McGregor's fights. I mean he's the biggest combat sports star in history probably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-perry/we-all-love-conor-mcgregor-s-fights-i-mean-he-s-the-biggest-combat/) [Mike Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-perry/) > [I didn't come from a combat sports background where I had a real definitive background in anything to fall back onto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/i-didn-t-come-from-a-combat-sports-background-where-i-had-a-real/) [Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/) > [We all know the difference between sports entertainment and the combat sports that I call, but at the end of the day, they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-ranallo/we-all-know-the-difference-between-sports-entertainment-and-the/) [Mauro Ranallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-ranallo/) > [Your body's really only meant to compete at the highest levels of combat sports for a few years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/your-body-s-really-only-meant-to-compete-at-the-highest-levels-of/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [When you think about martial arts here in the states, kickboxing was here in the '70s, and it kind of ran its course. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-coker/when-you-think-about-martial-arts-here-in-the-states-kickboxing-was/) [Scott Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-coker/) > [It's not unusual for me to spend three or four days a week watching eight or 10 hours of fights. Even if it wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hardy/it-s-not-unusual-for-me-to-spend-three-or-four-days-a-week-watching/) [Dan Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hardy/) > [Haryana is one state that loves combat sports. In fact, majority of the kids who learn wrestling from me are from Haryana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-great-khali/haryana-is-one-state-that-loves-combat-sports-in-fact-majority-of-the/) [The Great Khali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-great-khali/) > [There is danger involved in combat sports, but this is the purest form of competition. It's all about finding the truth. When you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-ranallo/there-is-danger-involved-in-combat-sports-but-this-is-the-purest-form/) [Mauro Ranallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-ranallo/) > [I've seen some folks with Olympic backgrounds go into combat sports and it just not being for them. You know, doing Judo or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-barnett/i-ve-seen-some-folks-with-olympic-backgrounds-go-into-combat-sports/) [Josh Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-barnett/) > [It's not like I'm going to go out and change the world and convert everyone into MMA fans. There's going to be fans out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-white/it-s-not-like-i-m-going-to-go-out-and-change-the-world-and-convert/) [Dana White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-white/) > [I was as much at first probably against Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather as anyone else but... as soon as I turned off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-ranallo/i-was-as-much-at-first-probably-against-conor-mcgregor-and-floyd/) [Mauro Ranallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-ranallo/) ## More by Jonathan Gottschall > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [If someone breaks into your home when you're there - that is, they don't wait to be sure that the house is empty -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/if-someone-breaks-into-your-home-when-you-re-there-that-is-they-don-t/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Part of why I was attracted to the idea of owning a gun was self-defense, and part of it was that I've been fascinated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/part-of-why-i-was-attracted-to-the-idea-of-owning-a-gun-was-self/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Human minds yield helplessly to the suction of story. No matter how hard we concentrate, no matter how deep we dig in our heels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/human-minds-yield-helplessly-to-the-suction-of-story-no-matter-how/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [“As the video game designer and writer James Wallis puts it, “Human beings like stories. Our brains have a natural affinity not only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/as-the-video-game-designer-and-writer-james-wallis-puts-it-human/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [People like head trauma. They love knockouts. The crowd is silent, silent, silent... and then a knockout happens, and everyone goes native. There would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/people-like-head-trauma-they-love-knockouts-the-crowd-is-silent/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Fiction seems to be more effective at changing beliefs than nonfiction, which is designed to persuade through argument and evidence. Studies show that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/fiction-seems-to-be-more-effective-at-changing-beliefs-than/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/we-are-as-a-species-addicted-to-story-even-when-the-body-goes-to/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Getting punched in the face with a padded glove doesn't really hurt your face. It doesn't hurt your skull. The only thing it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/getting-punched-in-the-face-with-a-padded-glove-doesn-t-really-hurt/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Story is where people go to practice the key skills of human social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/story-is-where-people-go-to-practice-the-key-skills-of-human-social/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [The brain stays up all night telling stories while we sleep. We just call them dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/the-brain-stays-up-all-night-telling-stories-while-we-sleep-we-just/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [“Commentators frequently blame MMORPGs for an increasing sense of isolation in modern life. But virtual worlds are less a cause of that isolation than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/commentators-frequently-blame-mmorpgs-for-an-increasing-sense-of/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [“Conspiracy theories—feverishly creative, lovingly plotted—are in fact fictional stories that some people believe. Conspiracy theorists connect real data points and imagined data points into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/conspiracy-theories-feverishly-creative-lovingly-plotted-are-in-fact/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [I watch fights and I often feel morally compromised by it. I feel like I'm morally culpable for what's occurring because I'm the spectator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-watch-fights-and-i-often-feel-morally-compromised-by-it-i-feel-like/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [If I do get a handgun, I can take it to the sheriff's department, and in about as much time as it would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/if-i-do-get-a-handgun-i-can-take-it-to-the-sheriff-s-department-and/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) [Explore all 47 Jonathan Gottschall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities mandated padded gloves and instantly made the sports far more savage. Granted, putting gloves on the hands seems like a nice thing to do. If you were being punched in the brain by a powerful man, wouldn't you rather he strap a pillow around his fist? But the glove doesn't do anything to diminish your brain damage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonathan Gottschall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-authorities-mandated-padded/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-authorities-mandated-padded/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/jonathan-gottschall-14219_authority_in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-a_345320.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In an effort to civilize combat sports, authorities mandated padded gloves and instantly made the sports far…” — Jonathan Gottschall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonathan Gottschall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In an effort to civilize combat...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-authorities-mandated-padded/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/in-an-effort-to-civilize-combat-sports-authorities-mandated-padded/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```