Why are some people so fixated with professional sports?

What I find ironic is the same people who waffle on about individuality do the exact opposite by aligning with thousands of other people in their devotion for vicarious living through watching team sports.

We won! No you lost, the team won, they got your cash.

Originally posted by mahatche
Right cause no one could ever respect a good athlete who excels at the sport they love, while also respecting a great thinker, that could NEVER happen EVER! it's a scientific impossibility, all humans are black or white, no degree of complexity to personalities at all, either a scientist or a dumb brute. Our minds are only capable of giving respect to one field right? And heavan forbid someone does something unproductive for any period of time, we all must be tireless workers, our lives should be no different from farm animals, work and sleep! anything else is stupid!

Some of you guys are really full of yourselves, your ego's are ridiculous.

You misunderstood me, I was simply reporting my particular experience with respect to sports fans. I'm not averse to watching a bit of sport myself but it's not my only interest in life.

Then you went on a bit of a rant, which I will ignore.

I still find the reverence for sports players and celebrities to the exception of others, strange to say the least. While scientists and engineers etc are portrayed as mere geeks in popular culture, the younger generation won't have the drive to become one. And the continuance of life as we know it depends on people following this career path. Unfortunately less and less people are in the Western world.

Originally posted by Philippines

Originally posted by mahatche

Originally posted by Philippines


Just because you read up on ufo's and cryptozoology does not mean "you" are not a sheep. If you are living in a city and have not made the choice to move out into the country, you are probably a sheep.

Edit: I don't doubt you to be informed, but what are you doing with that knowledge? Sheep do nothing...

edit on 5-5-2013 by Philippines because: (no reason given)

what are you doing with your knowledge? You moved away to the country away from all the lost people instead of helping them. No wonder there is so many "sheep" if all the people with the knowledge to lead them run away from the world.

You make a good point, but I find the situation futile. What do you think? How would you try to convert "lost" people stuck in their lifestyles of sports, work, taxes, retirement, healthcare, debt slaves, etc. into a lifestyle of personal responsibility, no debts, no taxes, providing their own food etc. -- do you think the average american will give that up? (Among a lot of other addictions to personal life luxury)

What is your thought on how to accomplish that?

Why is it futile? Who are you to say they are "LOST"? OMG, do you see yourself typing this? Convert? What is this the crusades, convert or die? I think your misunderstanding this whole thread....(IMHO life in general...) We are not slaves. Western culture is'nt a slave lifestyle. What, going to work an paying bills to provide for our families is a bad thing? Listen, I actually understand where you are coming from, but that is not isolated to just the western world, thats CURRENT life anywhere in the world, not all, but the vast majority. Thats the nature of our current civilization. Yes I wish we could live off the country by the brow of our sweat an back breaking work without the capitalistic backlash, but we were born into this, we are adults now an able to think on our own, its my CHOICE to wanna live this lifestyle, yes to each his own, but to say we are sheep is taking it too far.
SPORTS, the topic of this thread, is somthing people enjoy, posters want to say, "they got your money", umm WE paid togo see the game because it was our CHOICE, nobody made us. Sports players are all the limelight rage, no, not all, for instance, my San Antonio Spurs, they are a top tier team, yet almost you will hear about Kobes stupid tweeter comments then you would on a professional team like the spurs who swept the lakers an advanced to the next bracket, their coach advocates sportsmanship an hates the flashy lifestyle and I am glad tjr spurs think an work along his state of mind because they CHOOSE to.
Please, no i'm begging you, stop looking at life with such an archaic POV, instead of running to the hills which won't accomplish anything, help out people to understand why your like the way...you are.

Originally posted by ANOK
What I find ironic is the same people who waffle on about individuality do the exact opposite by aligning with thousands of other people in their devotion for vicarious living through watching team sports.

We won! No you lost, the team won, they got your cash.

Who says sharing a common bond for a moment removes individuality? I don't believe that at all. I'm not the loner guy who rejects something just because to many others like it too. That's to extreme. If you can lose all your individuality after spending a few hours around people who feel the same way you do, then you never had any real individuality to begin with. That's to flimsy.

And I really don't care if they get money for making something I love. "Thank you that was a great game, you guys left it all out on the field to night". Isn't that how the economy works? If you satisfy me with what ever you do, I pay you for it. You make it seem as if they are making me pay with out me knowing it. I have no problem paying them money. Do they make to much, sure Romo sucks but they also perform something a lot of people love so they have that kind of money.

reply to post by mahatche


Well if you align with other people of the same interests, and you all dress in the team colours, and have a common interest, you are essentially collectivising.

I am just trying to point out that we all collectivise naturally, and voluntarily, because as social creatures that is our natural tendency.

You are right though, collectivising does not take away individuality.

Because it's entertainment. Everyone has something in their lives for entertainment. Doesn't matter what it is. Why are so many people fixated with video games, movies, dancing, woodworking, music? Because it's entertainment.

Show me one person who does absolutely nothing for entertainment.

reply to post by TheComte


But you list things people do.

The thread is about people who watch things other people do, in this case sports.

reply to post by ANOK


You watch movies. TV. Watch plays, musicals, theatre. Key word is "entertainment." Doesn't matter if you're watching or doing. Hobby or spectator sport, it's all designed to entertain you.

Or, do you feel someone who "does" video games is better than someone who just "watches" sports?

reply to post by TheComte


Oh you got me, one thing you listed is not something you do.

Sports are the opiate of the masses, yes it's entertainment. Entertainment that makes a killing off the community, and doesn't give a whole lot back but entertainment.

It's just another pastime that makes people passive, and less likely to question their reality. As Rome burns...

reply to post by ANOK


Oh, which one thing was that?

Doesn't give a whole lot back to the community? You are way off there, my friend. Pro sports gives way more back to communities than any other method of wealth redistribution. First of all, who are the people that make it big in pro sports, especially football, basketball, and baseball? Not the rich. Poor people from poor communities. And, by and large, they do give back to their communities by building sports fields, community centres, etc. I have no problem with pro athletes making big bucks. Yes, some are selfish and don't give back. But most remember where they came from and do give something back to their home communities.

So, anyone who likes entertainment is asleep and doesn't care about their "reality?" Man, that is so much bovine excrement it's not even funny. Such a ridiculous statement to make. Oh, you like board games so that means you are a sheeple and can't wake up to your reality. What a load of horse manure, my friend.

You know what? Fitness is the opiate the masses. They have people going around getting fit, running marathons and stuff, only to drop dead of heart attacks. Getting fit is just a conspiracy to reduce the population.

That's as ridiculous as you sound, my friend.

Originally posted by TheComte
Oh, which one thing was that? Everything

Nope, movies is the only one you mentioned where people don't actually do something other than sit and watch other people doing things. As a musician I took music as playing an instrument, but I guess you can also put that in the sit and do nothing but listen category, if that's what you meant.

video games, movies, dancing, woodworking, music?

Point is though there is a difference between watching something other people do, and doing it yourself. I prefer entertainment that gives me something to do, like writing my inane thoughts to any stranger on a forum willing to read them.

reply to post by ANOK


What about people who go to concerts to watch other people play instruments? I guess in your world they are sheeple and are not awake to their reality.

Plus, watching sports gives people something to do: debate why their team won or lost or is better than the other guy's team.

Maybe you don't like doing that. That's fine. Go play your instruments then and don't talk crap about what other people like to do.

Originally posted by TheComte
Maybe you don't like doing that. That's fine. Go play your instruments then and don't talk crap about what other people like to do.

I'll talk as much crap as I want to, thank you very much.

My point really wasn't about what I do, or what anyone does.

My point was spectator pastimes create apathy, it creates the spectator mentality.

We live in an entertainment-centred, spectator-oriented society. Most people spend much time watching TV, movies, sporting events, etc. but little time actually involved in playing the sports they watch. Coach Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma football coach, once described a football game the following way: Thousands sit in the stands in desperate need of exercise, while 22 men are on the football field in desperate need of rest.

unkingdom.com...

We’ve labeled generations as Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial. Some have labeled the current generation as Generation Apathetic. Whether or not you think these labels apply globally, many of today’s current college students are apathetic about their college experiences. They see college as a phase through which they must move or an archaic pre-requisite for getting a job. They see college as a “spectator sport” which should require little of them. They approach college with a consumer mentality or market thinking – they see education as a product which their (or your) tuition dollars are purchasing. They are interested in a fast, cheap, degree.

Is Your College Student a Member of the “Apathy Generation”?

As I said before, Nero fiddles as Rome burns...

Everyone has their own opinion, and yours is one of many. Most people do, or have, played the sports that they watch. You're seriously going to call out an 80 year old man who watches baseball for not playing it? Seriously? What about the disabled person? Oh, he must be apathetic if he likes to watch sports while not playing any. What about the guy who has to work two or more jobs to feed his family? He's pretty apathetic too if he watches Sunday football but doesn't ever play himself. There are so many different reasons why a person may not play, but everyone needs some entertainment or pleasure in life.

What is hypocritical though is that you're calling people apathetic from behind a computer on the internet. I bet your idea of working to change the world is by signing some electronic petitions.

Put your money where your mouth is and make up a bunch of signs and go march down your main street calling people apathetic. Post some pics when you do it.

Also, I'll point out your quote is not relevant to your argument. It's pretty stupid to compare the average person on the street to Nero. Nero was the Emperor of the Roman Empire. He had immense power. If you want to compare Obama or [insert leader's name] to Nero and call him apathetic, that's fine. But blaming ordinary citizens is just retarded.

I play basketball and I do enjoy watching professional basketball games. A few reasons, because you play the sport yourself and watching how a "pro" a person who literally plays for a living, like how a engineer is paid to repair a machinery or a teacher is paid to impart certain knowledge, you get to see the pinnacle of performance of a game. You get to compare your standard against them, that is what excites me.