Today in class we briefly discussed how talking about sports is a way to connect with people that you may not have anything else to do with. We also discussed how at the same time following sports could be viewed as a waste of time. I have always been a big sports fan and have heard my friends tell me that I am wasting my time. Recently I have been trying to find an argument as to why following sports is not a waste of time and I have come up with a few possible explanations that I have tried to explain to my friends that do not follow sports.
For one, I think that sports being a thing that can connect people that don’t have much else to talk about is powerful. The topic of sports is something that people have strong opinions about and unlike politics, heated debates don’t usually end angrily. Having knowledge about sports is valuable because it is something that comes up a lot in daily conversation. Also, to connect sports to our class, following sports is a great way for immigrants to become more acclimated with American society. For example, if an immigrant who followed sports came to the U.S and found American soccer fans it would probably be easy to talk with them even though there may be a slight language barrier. However, this is not the only reason I think that following sports could be valuable.
My main reason that I think following sports is not a waste of time is way more philosophical. I believe that in life the most important thing that one can do is achieve their goals. However, I believe that sometimes it is very hard for one to realize whether or not they have achieved their goals because sometimes people don’t exactly know what their goals are. In the world of sports, it is very easy to see whether or not a player or team has achieved their goals. I believe watching and feeling involved in these achievements makes a person realize what life is all about. Further, I think that the realization of what life is all about makes following sports a worthwhile investment of one’s time.
Hi Evan,
I am so happy that you brought up your perspective on watching sports. I definitely agree that the subject of sports is a very powerful means of communicating with others. Sports is a universal language, and unites people from all across the world. For example, during the FIFA World Cup Tournaments, a billion people all around the world tune in at the same time to cheer for their home countries. No other event has this same effect of unifying people across ethnic barriers.
Additionally, I find it interesting that the topic of sports often comes up as a talking point during interviews. A few of my friends told me that when they went for an interview, before the formal process started, they would strike up a conversation with the interviewer by discussing local sports. As such, it proves that sports is a universally understood language. Sports allow all people of all different cultures to bond on a common ground, which is why following sports is nothing short of a great investment.
My friends and I have had a long-running discussion about sports and hiring . This usually revolves around participation in sports rather than spectating. Should it count for much in a job interview if the applicant played a sport in college? I once interviewed a guy for a law internship who had played varsity football at Notre Dame — I was impressed, but did it make him a better candidate?
But, yes, it’s amazing how sports chit-chat plays an important role in people’s lives.
Hi Professor Rosenburg,
That’s a very interesting point to bring up. I don’t necessarily think playing a sport makes someone a better candidate for a job. I don’t think one’s ability to play sports correlates with how well someone does in an office environment. However, I think that it just makes that candidate more interesting and more memorable. For instance, you have probably interviewed many people, yet you still remember that one person who played varsity football at Notre Dame.
With that being said, I do think playing a sport in high school makes someone a better candidate when applying to college. I was the co-captain of the varsity tennis team at my school, and many colleges saw that as a sign of leadership. Yet, I don’t think the same applies when applying for a job. What do you think?
Hey Evan,
I really liked your post. To be honest, I never really knew why I like to follow sports. I feel that I was just born into it. My Dad is a big sports fan, so I became one as well. I also feel that sports are a way of uniting people. It’s amazing to see at games that no matter who you are or where you came from we are all part of one team and one city. This unification is just amazing to see that is seen nowhere else except in sports.
Evan,
I find your opinion regarding sports’ positive influence on life very intriguing. Watching their favorite teams win their games can certainly instill in them a sense of hope, making them feel that the goals they have in life are definitely achievable. For instance, after watching his/her team score the final point and win the game, that person will have the motivation and the will to emulate the team to achieve his/her goals in life.
However, I think sports can also exert other types of positive influence on the fans. Aside from connecting everyone, sports can also instill in the people a sense of confidence, which makes it easier for them to strive forward and thrive. I believe that people who possess confidence are already halfway to achieving their goals. Also, sports fans have the propensity to eat healthier. In the article “The psychology of being a sports fan” by Larry Stone, the people who are fans of the winning team would eat less food that contains saturated fat than the people who are fans of the losing team (the difference in the fat consumption maybe up to 16%). All in all, I think being a sports fan is an amazing thing, and it’s such a shame that I don’t have a favorite sports team.
Do sports unite people? George Orwell said that sport is “war minus the shooting.”
Hi Evan,
I agree with you that it is really powerful how sport can connect people that don’t have much else to talk about. I think that sports that are popular in a country can really represent the culture and value of that country. However, I disagree with that it is easy to see whether goals had been achieved in the sports world. In the current age, most sports had been commercialized and the business side of sports is growing to be more important than the competitive side of sports, and making money from sports had become more important for a lot of teams and players than winning.