Of Shakespeare and Sport

Allow me to share with you a comment from a friend of mine who lives in Irbid in the north of Jordan, she wrote:

"As of late, I can't get Shakespeare out of my head:
'As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods - they kill us for their sport.' (King Lear)
Why don' t modern-age-gods (i.e. politicians) heed this Elizabethan poet in his wisdom?"

Any clues anyone? J