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,...
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.
Conclusion:
The Frisbee started out by accident and quickly developed into a commercial product marketed as a toy in the late 1950s. Its popularity likely has much to do with the fact that players of all ages and skill levels can enjoy it. In the fifty years since its initial debut as a single model, it evolved into more than a dozen different models of varying sizes and weights suited to different games and uses. Some variations are suitable for two novice players while others involve teams and rules of competition; still other sports uses of the Frisbee include human-canine competitions and extreme skills competitions. In addition to these intended uses, Frisbee remains popular among recreational drug users for several different reasons as well. Despite changes in so many elements of
American culture since its invention, Frisbees are perpetually present on high school and college campuses and ubiquitous virtually anywhere American young people congregate.
