Jason Kelce Phone Smash And Joel Embiid Shove Are Both Bad Behavior
There has been large scale discussion over the past week as it relates to the actions of Jason Kelce and Joel Embiid. Kelce, a former Philadelphia Eagles center, and current TV personality, smashed the phone of a college student. Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers star, shoved a reporter in a heated altercation. While both moves were applauded by the general public, they also beg questions about self control.
Jason Kelce Phone Smash
While visiting Penn State University, fans circled around Kelce as he walked. May were trying to get selfies with the celebrity, and one onlooker decided to poke the bear. While filming himself walking along with Kelce, a fan asked, "Kelce, how does it feel that your bother is a f****t for dating Taylor Swift?"
Videos from different perspectives then show Kelce grabbing the phone, repeating the homophobic slur back at the man (dressed in in a Penn State hoodie), and smashing the phone on the ground. ESPN has not commented on the incident, but there's no doubt one coming, either from the studio or Kelce himself.
Joel Embiid Shove
As reporters entered the 76ers locker room, after a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, Embiid confronted Marcus Hayes, a columnist for The Inquirer. The confrontation ended with Embiid shoving Hayes, then promising an escalated response in the future.
"You're gonna see what I'm gonna do to you, and I'm gonna have to [expletive] live with the consequences."
In an October 23 column, Hayes made reference to Embiid's late brother and son, both named Arthur. Embiid yelled at Hayes for the comments, who removed the references from his article later that day, thanking his followers on X for constructive criticism. According to Hayes, he was shoved when attempting to apologize to Embiid.
Rational Brain Versus Emotional Brain
Psychologists refer to a persons decision making centers, split into two basic groups. The rational brain and the emotional brain. The rational brain contemplates it's surroundings, and logically assigns meanings to them based on logic and practicality. Actions are then taken based on the assignments.
The emotional brain is the part of the brain that gives a person feelings. Based on chemicals released, and the firing of neurotransmitters, a person will feel sad, angry, happy, ect. The individual then usually reacts based on the emotions, not taking into account whether the emotions are legitimate, or worth acting on.
Good Behavior Versus Bad Behavior
While both Kelce and Embiid have been applauded for their actions by people in general, their actions are bad behavior and set a bad precedent. The average person standing, behind the two athletes, is confusing the justification of emotions with the justification of the actions.
The quick, yet profound rhyme, Sticks and Stones, is a lesson taught to kindergartners, but adults who often have forgotten the moral. A person should react physically in self defense, since that is a survival instinct, but self defense is not needed against spoken or written words. This is an unjustified emotional reaction.
As individuals in the public eye, with influence over others, of all ages, Kelce and Embiid need to learn to demonstrate self-restraint. They should be deaf to the spoken word, and blind to the written word. Neither of them can sign autographs and take selfies with every person who requests one. They understand this, so they don't even try. They need to treat unjust criticism and moronic comments as selfie requests. Just ignore them.
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