Cobra Kai Recovers Spiritedness in Democratic Education

• In Event: Democracy, Race, Education, Resistance (Virtual Session)

Abstract

This paper will argue that Cobra Kai, the Netflix series and spinoff of The Karate Kid movies, demonstrates how American education has neglected the proper cultivation of spiritedness. Spiritedness, as Harvey Mansfeld said, “makes us want to insist on our own importance.” It is the part of us that gets angry at slights, insults, and injustices. It sometimes makes us touchy, but, rightfully cultivated, it also propels us to act on behalf of ourselves and others. For self-government, democracy needs citizens bold and courageous to stand up for what they think is right. While democracy appears to puff up an individual’s sense of self-worth, as Tocqueville observes, when the individual compares himself to the great mass of those like himself, he is overwhelmed by his insignificance and ripe for individualism and soft despotism. In Cobra Kai, the students are, indeed, ruled by the petty, toe-tapping schoolmasters Tocqueville predicted. Nevertheless, the school administrators ultimately fail to protect the weak from the strong. Bullies and mean girls find ways to belittle and mock students who do not fit in. Johnny Lawrence brings back the Cobra Kai dojo to teach students how stand up for themselves. The Cobra Kai mantra “strike first, strike hard, no mercy” is incomplete. It can easily be used to give vent to anger, resentment, and envy. Spiritedness must be tempered by honor, sportsmanship, and perhaps mercy.

Author

• Elizabeth Amato, Gardner-Webb University