I was just replying to Aidan's blog post when I came across a broader topic. Its been bothering me for some time now - why exactly are Americans so obsessed with sports? At the same time that 1 in 4 Americans don't know that we won our independence from Great Britain, I'm sure the majority of Americans want nothing more in their lives than to plop down on the couch and watch football, baseball, or some other insignificant professional sport on TV. What has brought America to this? Why does America house so many people that are completely clueless on basic American history, for instance, but know so much about these athletes?
I'd say the problem lies in the lifestyle of the average American worker. As we discussed in class, Americans are suckers for long working hours and hard, tedious work. By the time most working Americans get home, they feel exhausted and want to relax their bodies while getting a sense of excitement. And this is where professional sports do wonders.
Professional sports let average Americans feel some excitement in their lives without giving them too much stress from the competition. Everybody knows that the results of a certain game won't actually change anything in anyone's life, so at the same time that people feel energized and captured by the suspense, they can appreciate the insignificance of the whole matter. Although I can somewhat understand the desire by many Americans to turn on the TV and watch sports, it upsets me that society (especially American society) has gotten itself to such a sad point, where professional sports are one of the only ways that people can fulfill their need to relax.
While I definitely agree that professional sports "let average Americans feel some excitement in their lives without giving them too much stress from the competition," I also think that for many people, sports are just fun to watch. I have fun watching sports, whether they be professional or not. I like watching competition, but at the same time, it's definitely not my means of relaxing. It's entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Leah; it's just a form of entertainment. There are actually very few Americans who live off sports. But if you look at European and South American countries for instance, you'll find way more sports-obsessed people. For countries like Brazil, Spain, Italy and many more, sports (like soccer) are a way of life. Stores are literally closed during live broadcasts of games. And during the World Cup, streets are closed off because crowds of people gather to watch the game outside in the freezing rain or blistering sunshine. And this doesn't just happen in the major city of said countries. It takes place throughout the entire nation. Will you find this happening in America? Does the whole country congregate in the streets for the World Cup? World Series? Superbowl? NBA Finals? No.
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