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The only thing you're doing is redirecting blame to the athletes, which is the reason this article was written. Clearly athletes know they aren't getting into t

The only thing you're doing is redirecting blame to the athletes, which is the reason this article was written. Clearly athletes know they aren't getting into this to get rich, but I don't think it's unreasonable to provide some type of standard pay that is more than what a kid can make mowing lawns. Farm team players for baseball get paid six figures, and there are a zillion people below them that would play for half. Sure, they are replaceable, but so are you and most everyone else on this planet. That type of attitude is why things like labor unions were created. To protect themselves from shortsighted remarks like that. Also I don't think there is a "gross labor oversupply" of Olympic level athletes in the world. The "no one is forcing you to do anything" argument is completely tiring. You hear this for just about everything now, especially in the gaming industry, where companies are finding new ways to release half the product, for twice the price. People are allowed to complain, that's how things change. You don't just go around saying WELL THEN DON'T BUY IT. Maybe we WANT to buy it, but the circumstances are terrible, thus the complaints. But I suppose you've never complained about anything in your entire life. You just accept what you're given, because no one is forcing you to do it.

jerf 10y ago
"But I suppose you've never complained about anything in your entire life. You just accept what you're given, because no one is forcing you to do it." No, I lived my advice. When I was in high school, I took a sober look at my "dream job" of somehow composing music professionally, realized my talents and skills didn't put me in the requisite top .001% or so to make a decent living at, and switched to something that still brings me great satisfaction, while also letting me make a living. Everything about the subsequent 20 years has convinced me that was a great decision. The problem with your post is that while you're collecting the emotional feel-goodz of saying something you think virtuous and enjoying the brief frisson of attacking me for saying the badthink, you're offloading the costs of that rather brief and fleeting pleasure onto the Olympic athletes and their significant privations so you can say that. I find it morally abhorrent for people to take brief pleasure in saying things and feeling morally good about it at the cost of other people having to pay the costs of living good chunks of their life in poverty. (See also advocating college while sneering at the idea that one should obtain a marketable skill from it.) Stop idolizing the Olympics, and people will stop sacrificing their lives to it. And think about what you're really asking people to do before spouting mindless rah-rah "Follow your dreams!" stuff. It's not consequence-free.
- overcast 10y ago
  Trust me when I say this, I do not idolize the Olympics, in fact I hate everything about sports in general. I'm looking at this purely as an outsider, and what should be a reasonable compensation for any line of work. Yes, this IS a job for these people. That's fine that you didn't even attempt to pursue your dreams, but these people ARE the top .001% who made it, and they still DO NOT make a decent living at it. That's the point.
  - goldenkey 10y ago
    The fact is: roaches get baited, mouses get trapped. Try not to be a cockroach is what jerf is saying. Follow your dreams are fine but dont be a cockroach for someone else's Olympic bug park. Unfortunately these kids are their own worst enemies. Like you mentioned, no union, no bargaining. Just a lot of expendable roaches that are unfortunately ruining it for eachother and competing in sports games with eachother, ironic.
  - howeyc 10y ago
    What kind of point is that? What if I could objectively prove to the world I was the greatest masturbation enthusiast alive? The top of the world, nobody better. Do I deserve a decent living for my skills? Just because you are good at something doesn't mean you deserve to get paid. Honestly, you get money in exchange for someone else wanting to pay you for what you do. If you can't find someone willing to do so, you would be wise to find another occupation. This is basic economics, why is this so hard to understand? The universe/world does not "have" to pay people because they can do an activity well. However, if people want to see you do an activity AND are willing to pay to see it, the question then becomes one of cost. What we are seeing is that the cost acceptable by participants in terms of financial remuneration happens to be low. They may say they don't accept it, but their actions speak to the contrary.
- saint_fiasco 10y ago
  I don't think it's fair to expect most high schoolers to be as clear headed as you were. Many Olympic athletes train since they are kids, before they even know what .001% means.

jerf 10y ago

"But I suppose you've never complained about anything in your entire life. You just accept what you're given, because no one is forcing you to do it." No, I lived my advice. When I was in high school, I took a sober look at my "dream job" of somehow composing music professionally, realized my talents and skills didn't put me in the requisite top .001% or so to make a decent living at, and switched to something that still brings me great satisfaction, while also letting me make a living. Everything about the subsequent 20 years has convinced me that was a great decision. The problem with your post is that while you're collecting the emotional feel-goodz of saying something you think virtuous and enjoying the brief frisson of attacking me for saying the badthink, you're offloading the costs of that rather brief and fleeting pleasure onto the Olympic athletes and their significant privations so you can say that. I find it morally abhorrent for people to take brief pleasure in saying things and feeling morally good about it at the cost of other people having to pay the costs of living good chunks of their life in poverty. (See also advocating college while sneering at the idea that one should obtain a marketable skill from it.) Stop idolizing the Olympics, and people will stop sacrificing their lives to it. And think about what you're really asking people to do before spouting mindless rah-rah "Follow your dreams!" stuff. It's not consequence-free.

overcast 10y ago
Trust me when I say this, I do not idolize the Olympics, in fact I hate everything about sports in general. I'm looking at this purely as an outsider, and what should be a reasonable compensation for any line of work. Yes, this IS a job for these people. That's fine that you didn't even attempt to pursue your dreams, but these people ARE the top .001% who made it, and they still DO NOT make a decent living at it. That's the point.
- goldenkey 10y ago
  The fact is: roaches get baited, mouses get trapped. Try not to be a cockroach is what jerf is saying. Follow your dreams are fine but dont be a cockroach for someone else's Olympic bug park. Unfortunately these kids are their own worst enemies. Like you mentioned, no union, no bargaining. Just a lot of expendable roaches that are unfortunately ruining it for eachother and competing in sports games with eachother, ironic.
- howeyc 10y ago
  What kind of point is that? What if I could objectively prove to the world I was the greatest masturbation enthusiast alive? The top of the world, nobody better. Do I deserve a decent living for my skills? Just because you are good at something doesn't mean you deserve to get paid. Honestly, you get money in exchange for someone else wanting to pay you for what you do. If you can't find someone willing to do so, you would be wise to find another occupation. This is basic economics, why is this so hard to understand? The universe/world does not "have" to pay people because they can do an activity well. However, if people want to see you do an activity AND are willing to pay to see it, the question then becomes one of cost. What we are seeing is that the cost acceptable by participants in terms of financial remuneration happens to be low. They may say they don't accept it, but their actions speak to the contrary.
saint_fiasco 10y ago
I don't think it's fair to expect most high schoolers to be as clear headed as you were. Many Olympic athletes train since they are kids, before they even know what .001% means.