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Are you sure the net happiness from football was really raised by Messi or did he simply shift it to his county and teams he plays for? If you take away his gr

Are you sure the net happiness from football was really raised by Messi or did he simply shift it to his county and teams he plays for? If you take away his great play doesn't it just make other players stick out more, and fans would derive happiness from other players?

NoodleIncident 10y ago
Only one other player stands out as much. It seems silly to say that either should have been an accountant, because if he were, then the same arguments would apply to the other. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lionel-messi-is-impossible/ http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lionel-messi-is-impossib...
- gd1 10y ago
  Given the way he has handled his taxes, it is safe to say that he would make a poor accountant anyway.
  - robotresearcher 10y ago
    I bet he has made one or more rich accountants.
jimbokun 10y ago
He raises the net happiness. He does things no one else does and is a joy to watch. It's like saying if a great musician never lived people would just listen to different music. Sure, but there would be a certain joy and pleasure people never would have experienced, and never realized they were missing.
- WWKong 10y ago
  If they never realized they were missing something, then nothing was lost. Net happiness = same level.
  - canicode 10y ago
    You could say that for just about anything, including Tesla...
    - Theodores 10y ago
      Tesla make a lot of people happy but there must be accountants at Jaguar, BMW etc. who have not enjoyed losing sales to the California start up. However there are many happy Tesla customers and only a small handful of motor company accountants. Obviously there are sales staff too plus suits in the oil companies who have been pained by Tesla, but still the balance is a net happy one. Compare with Tony Blair, makes his business cronies happy but inflicts more misery. Footballers do have a connection with their fans and it is their admiration that is sought far more than money. So they are very much in it to bring happiness to the world, to put on the show. I don't see them working for free though.
BasDirks 10y ago
Are you sure the net happiness from football was really raised by Messi or did he simply shift it to his county and teams he plays for? Yes If you take away his great play doesn't it just make other players stick out more, and fans would derive happiness from other players? No Greatness isn't ONLY about being greater than others.

NoodleIncident 10y ago

Only one other player stands out as much. It seems silly to say that either should have been an accountant, because if he were, then the same arguments would apply to the other. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lionel-messi-is-impossible/ http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lionel-messi-is-impossib...

gd1 10y ago
Given the way he has handled his taxes, it is safe to say that he would make a poor accountant anyway.
- robotresearcher 10y ago
  I bet he has made one or more rich accountants.

jimbokun 10y ago

He raises the net happiness. He does things no one else does and is a joy to watch. It's like saying if a great musician never lived people would just listen to different music. Sure, but there would be a certain joy and pleasure people never would have experienced, and never realized they were missing.

WWKong 10y ago
If they never realized they were missing something, then nothing was lost. Net happiness = same level.
- canicode 10y ago
  You could say that for just about anything, including Tesla...
  - Theodores 10y ago
    Tesla make a lot of people happy but there must be accountants at Jaguar, BMW etc. who have not enjoyed losing sales to the California start up. However there are many happy Tesla customers and only a small handful of motor company accountants. Obviously there are sales staff too plus suits in the oil companies who have been pained by Tesla, but still the balance is a net happy one. Compare with Tony Blair, makes his business cronies happy but inflicts more misery. Footballers do have a connection with their fans and it is their admiration that is sought far more than money. So they are very much in it to bring happiness to the world, to put on the show. I don't see them working for free though.

BasDirks 10y ago

Are you sure the net happiness from football was really raised by Messi or did he simply shift it to his county and teams he plays for? Yes If you take away his great play doesn't it just make other players stick out more, and fans would derive happiness from other players? No Greatness isn't ONLY about being greater than others.