I don't get sports.

[Skeletor]

This isn't the first time this subject came up. I wonder what the response to this would be if "sports" was replaced with "anime". Bread and circuses indeed.

Ok I get what you mean here, but the situation with sports is a bit different from star trek or comic books and etc. People are forced to play sports in gym class at school for example. And taxes are used to build stadiums and etc. I see this as a complete waste of.my money. Participation in those other things is at least always voluntary.

 

[FreeDiver]

View attachment 64103

I thought the same a long time ago, but to be honest I think I was looking at it wrong. I think the reason sports tend to get such support from most people is because it speaks to our primal instinct to compete with one another, which is an instinct that is present in all life from childhood (where you see two kids fighting each other with sticks) to adulthood; just look at males of any species when it comes to getting mates or territory - they'll duke it out with everything they can as the rewards can mean everything.
In sport, we put a lot of emphasis on winning the trophies, cups, titles and breaking records, etc. because it gives us a goal to strive towards and a motivation to become better - both personally and more than anyone before. It's the competitive spirit that inspires us to be all we can be and to go beyond our limits, whether that's on our own or as a team - especially as it gives the people who live in the same county/country a 'hero/heroes' to root for.

On the other side, it's entertaining for many to watch - regardless of whether you're watching two people give it their all in a ring, drivers pushing loud and ridiculously machinery that has no earthly reason to exist to its limits or footballers working as a team to outmatch their opponents; it's cathartic and a nice release that provides a break from real life with all its stresses and hang-ups.

While there will always be people who don't like it (many of us included), you can't deny the impact of exercising our primal instinct to compete in a way that millions (if not billions) can enjoy the world over.

This thread isn't about socalism. However my ideal society is one that is non competative, non violent, and where the people are mutually supportive of each other. Some have observed that sports is the opposite of this. Interesting.

There was this sci-fi movie from 1975 called Rollerball. It's about a future utopian world free of all crime and it uses the big game "Rollerball" to satisfy the aggressive and violent needs of the population. There was also another movie called "Death race 2000" that also had a similar theme as well.

 

[Judge]

It's about a future utopian world free of all crime and it uses the big game "Rollerball" to satisfy the aggressive and violent needs of the population.

And to remind the populace of who was in charge.

"Everyone within the state; no one outside the state". In this context it was more of a dystopian world. Where not obeying the will of the corporation to officially retire as the greatest Rollerballer got Jonathan E. into a great deal of trouble. Worse still, he applied his own individual will above that of his team. Which left a whole lot of egg on the face of the corporations. In a society that prizes team effort above all else.

Team Manager: "Game? It wasn't meant to be a game! Never!"

One of my favorite films of all time.

Nope, this was no more about sports than was "The Hunger Games".

 

[Tom]

There was this sci-fi movie from 1975 called Rollerball. It's about a future utopian world free of all crime and it uses the big game "Rollerball" to satisfy the aggressive and violent needs of the population. There was also another movie called "Death race 2000" that also had a similar theme as well.

Yes, I remember Rollerball well. It made a big impression on me at the time.

 

[Skeletor]

Yes, I remember Rollerball well. It made a big impression on me at the time.

I am a movie buff and have never seen this, looks like mid 70s.

 

[Judge]

I am a movie buff and have never seen this, looks like mid 70s.

Just another property of Turner Classic Movies. A basic reason why the original 1975 film is seldomly televised.

I have the DVD, but it was not a particularly good transfer. Sad...

 

[Tom]

I am a movie buff and have never seen this, looks like mid 70s.

Yes 70's. There was a remake several years back, but the reviews were consistantly bad so I didn't bother.

 

[Judge]

Yes 70's. There was a remake several years back, but the reviews were consistantly bad so I didn't bother.

Yep. The remake was terrible.

 

[Skeletor]

Is it like solarbabies?

 

[FreeDiver]

Is it like solarbabies?

No, it's totally a different movie altogether. The Skateball game that they show in that movie is a bit different from the game in Rollerball. They both kinda have that Rollerdurby meet Hockey like play to them.

 

[GrownupGirl]

I think sports are overrated, too. Big surprise, right?
Where I live if you openly show a dislike of hockey, you are pretty much considered severely mentally challenged. Although they might be easier on you if you're female. Even though there is women's hockey and both my parents like watching it. My mother once said it was because the players don't try to literally kill each other as much.

 

[Skeletor]

Grownup are you in Canada or Minnesota? Call it an educated guess.

 

[Magna]

I thought the same a long time ago, but to be honest I think I was looking at it wrong. I think the reason sports tend to get such support from most people is because it speaks to our primal instinct to compete with one another, which is an instinct that is present in all life from childhood (where you see two kids fighting each other with sticks) to adulthood; just look at males of any species when it comes to getting mates or territory - they'll duke it out with everything they can as the rewards can mean everything.
In sport, we put a lot of emphasis on winning the trophies, cups, titles and breaking records, etc. because it gives us a goal to strive towards and a motivation to become better - both personally and more than anyone before. It's the competitive spirit that inspires us to be all we can be and to go beyond our limits, whether that's on our own or as a team - especially as it gives the people who live in the same county/country a 'hero/heroes' to root for.

On the other side, it's entertaining for many to watch - regardless of whether you're watching two people give it their all in a ring, drivers pushing loud and ridiculously machinery that has no earthly reason to exist to its limits or footballers working as a team to outmatch their opponents; it's cathartic and a nice release that provides a break from real life with all its stresses and hang-ups.

While there will always be people who don't like it (many of us included), you can't deny the impact of exercising our primal instinct to compete in a way that millions (if not billions) can enjoy the world over.

^ It's for these reasons which I agree with that I don't really judge people who enjoy watching spectator sports. Other than occasionally watching a tennis match or playing golf when I was younger, I've never liked participating in sports and watching them is so uninteresting to me that I'd rather than most anything than watch sports. For example, I loathe watching American football, soccer, any sport other than the occasional tennis match. Utterly boring and pointless to me.

I also don't ascribe to the idea that sports teams bring so much value to the state that they're in, that the taxpayers of that state should open their pockets at nearly any cost to keep, nay to beg the owner of the sports team to stay in the state when a sports team owner wants a billion dollar stadium at taxpayer expense. No way would I ever buy into that idea and instead believe it best for the people of such states to say to the sports team: "Don't let the door hit you on the way out.".