The OP said nothing about standing on the sidelines -- just that their views don't neatly fit one way or another. However, if I witness a game where two teams

The OP said nothing about standing on the sidelines -- just that their views don't neatly fit one way or another. However, if I witness a game where two teams are repeatedly smashing into each other at midfield, causing harm to themselves and making no visible progress, standing on the sidelines seems like a perfectly valid and rational choice. Making the argument that I could have helped / hurt one of the teams by participating holds no water. I'll join the game when it makes more sense.