Blood sport

The way she said, “Are you not entertained?”—surely we both knew it was a quote from Gladiator, a movie in which a hero falls from grace, is forced to perform blood sport for the pleasure of spectators, and emerges victorious, having survived humiliation and debasement to soar higher than ever.

Shopping here is bloodsport, and you are the game, but the vendors are friendly.

Debating the topic, of course, is practically a blood sport. There is an essay genre devoted to “Leaving New York.”