Week one of reading and we are instructed to analyze the purpose of a Bali man's cock.

Suffice to say, we all have cocks. Massive or small, we all have them. 

I'm talking the metaphorical sense.

Though it is often viewed as being primal, and cruel by Americans to support animal fighting rings in which opponents literally fight in an arena to the death, within the small Bali villages the cock fights take different meaning to the people. Balinese men spend an enormous amount of time with their favored cocks, grooming them and preparing them for battle; the owners become absorbed within situating themselves to creating a truly powerful champion. Some cocks spend their whole life' with their owners, being groomed till the faithful day they are ripped to shreds by another cock in the arena. The emotional detachment as a result of who wins or loses becomes obvious for when a man drags his enemies cock out of the arena to his home kitchen to butcher further into a night meal. 

In this sense, pride forms from who has the biggest cock within the village. Honor is given to those who groom the best combatant; a civil title is given within this discourse group to those who have proven themselves worthy within the cock fighting rings. 

And yet, we as students; as professors; as scientists; as scholars; and as professionals in the academic field have the same integrity to uphold. We too have cocks that do battle to prove of which is the strongest, devouring the weaker and placing our own honor above all else. 

The "cock" I am referring too is our academic strength. The ability to argue one's personal belief, theory, or opinion on a topic against peers is a metaphorical manifestation of the cock's that fight for their owners. We debate, gain social gain within our discourse communities as a result of the victories we presume, and receive as a result a primitive respect from the colleges. 

However, is this truly healthy for a group to experience? Is is correct for us to debate, to fight like cocks, and win honor in such a way? Perhaps on a larger scale it is not healthy, but somewhat damaging to individuals who may have important insight within a particular topic; but are strangled from the competition, and as a result, are unable to add improvement to a design flawed by ego and bloody primitive human nature.