Definition essay on conceptual frameworks and key terminology

Frisbee has become such a well-known product in the United States that it would probably be impossible to find a single American college or university that does not have a single Frisbee on its campus. It is most often used as a toy in groups of two or more individuals for the enjoyment and the natural social interaction involved in the shared activity. The primary use of the Frisbee is the act of tossing it back and forth between two people or among larger groups, but several other uses are also well-known.

Various specific contexts and several alternate uses of the Frisbee have also evolved and in some respects, there are even negative social connotations sometimes associated with its use in certain situations. The Frisbee first emerged as a toy by accident (from the point-of-view of its first creator), fifty years ago, but it quickly became a nearly ubiquitous feature of American youth social culture and has remained a permanent fixture practically anywhere that young people congregate in this country.

Background and Early History: In the late 1950s, college students in Connecticut began tossing around the pie tins manufactured by the Frisbie Pie Company. The circular concave shape of the aluminum tins made it possible to throw them so that they flew straight, mainly by virtue of the gyroscopic stability provided by spinning them with a flick of the wrist. The toy company Wham-O began mass producing plastic versions of the pie tin in 1957 and secured patents for the device which they called a "Frisbee." One of the appeals of the toy is that it requires very little skill to enjoy it, despite the fact that it is also possible to become very proficient in its expert use with enough practice time. The original packaging instructions printed by Wham-O included illustrations of several variations of different throwing techniques such as overhand, backhand, underhand, and even a skipped throw where the player deliberately aims the Frisbee at the ground at an angle that allows it to bounce back up into the air and resume level flight. Aerodynamically, the curved edges of Frisbees are shaped much the same as the wings of aircraft and designed with ridges on the top surface intended to promote smooth airflow and decrease turbulence that would interfere with efficient flight. The original Frisbee model eventually evolved into many variations suited to particular uses and the many different types of games for which they are suited. Traditional Uses:

The first use of the Frisbee was a simple game of catch between two or more individuals but many games evolved from this single original use. The simple throw and catch game is quite conducive to social conversation and is a very easy way of breaking the ice among relative strangers and group bonding in the case of familiar groups in this country in much the same way as Europeans kick soccer balls around while socializing.

Ultimate" Frisbee is a team sport in which players on two teams attempt to advance the Frisbee toward a goal line by continually passing it to teammates who may not advance when in possession of the Frisbee; they must continually pass it to an open teammate, advance up the field and then catch the Frisbee after the teammate in possession of it throws it to them.

Freestyle" Frisbee is a competition in which players generally compete individually, demonstrating various advanced tricks for scoring by judges who award points for technical skill and originality. In addition to throwing events, freestyle competitions also feature demonstrations of the ability to spin the Frisbee for prolonged periods of time on a fingertip. Other competitive events are held in which competitors demonstrate accuracy and throwing distance. Skilled freestyle players can keep a Frisbee spinning continuously on a fingertip almost indefinitely and throw it in excess of 100 yards with accuracy.

Canine Frisbee competitions involve teams consisting of a person and a dog who compete against other teams in skill competitions in which the dogs chase after long throws and also demonstrate their joint coordination and skill in executing intricate tricks, sometimes using a dozen Frisbee disks or more in high-speed series of throws by the person and catches by the dog. Frisbee Golf is a game of accuracy played by individuals and teams in which players attempt to hit marked targets in a manner similar to the traditional game of golf in which players hit holes with golf balls. Finally, one of the most aggressive games played with Frisbees is called "Guts," a reference to the fact that it takes a certain amount of courage to participate. Guts competitors play a game of catch in which the object of the game is to purposely throw the Frisbee so hard that the opponent is unable to catch it cleanly without dropping it.

Nontraditional Uses, Cultural Significance, and Specific Social Connotations:

Because Frisbee is an outdoor game that requires no equipment of organization other than two people, a Frisbee, and a small patch of land, it became a natural fixture at outdoor events such as rock concerts. That, combined with the fact that certain recreational drugs like marijuana and LSD intensify the visual experience of watching the device in flight, led to the association of Frisbee with recreational drug use.

In fact, one of the most common nontraditional uses of Frisbees is to clean marijuana by using it as a surface that is capable of being tilted, shaken, and turned to facilitate the separation of marijuana leaf from its seeds and twigs which are usually discarded by marijuana smokers before consumption. While never intended for this use, the 1-inch depth of the concave Frisbee and its curved edges form a perfect shape to hold the marijuana in the toy without spilling over the side when it is shaken to separate out the marijuana seeds. Consequently, all across the United States, Frisbee tends to be associated with the high school cliques that use recreational drugs much more than any other group of students. Other recreational drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines ("speed") produce excess physical energy which makes Frisbee a natural outlet for that energy as well.