4 ms·

How are sports any less "useful" than other spectation-based forms of entertainment like watching movies, reading novels, or listening to music?

jojobas 2y ago
You get no getting new insight, catharsis or inspiration from watching someone run. Like chewing gum, it exploits your desire to watch, but there's no substance. Then again, there's the problem of how thousands of kids drop out of school to become pro athletes, and don't even reach college level, and the problem of colleges admitting illiterate athletes and letting them graduate illiterate for "prestige".
- hm10 2y ago
  Apart from getting inspired (like other replies have mentioned), there is plenty of insight to be obtained from watching sports. It is quite fun to observe and analyze the strategy and technical aspects of a sport - especially a sport that you play and train yourself. If someone never partakes in that sport, then yes - they may not necessarily understand the subtleties that happen in a particular move. But even if you're a hobby player, watching top pro athletes or teams utilize the techniques you are learning can make you appreciate the amount of work, skill, practice, and determination that goes into it. And that can be useful for people to apply in other areas of their lives.
- sebastiennight 2y ago
  No catharsis or inspiration? 2014. Finals of 4x400m female relay for the European Women's Championship.[0] The last French runner, Floria Gueï, gets the baton passed to her in a distant 4th place, well behind the top 3 favorites for the race: Russia, Ukraine and UK. In her own 400m solo race she was eliminated in the semifinals, a titanic disappointment. And now she is so far behind in the relay race, the French TV commentators are focusing on watching the battle unfold at the front and writing her off as a lost cause. That day, she performed one of the most impressive comebacks in the history of the sport to finish in first place. I would say that there is way more catharsis and inspiration in watching someone beat their own limits and rise above the odds, than you can find in most of fiction entertainment. I certainly don't find Rocky or Die Hard to be more impressive or inspirational as this 2-minute video. [0]: https://piped.video/watch?v=zU4MXTIYPF0 https://piped.video/watch?v=zU4MXTIYPF0
- SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
  Your initial complaint was about all pro-sports, would you say your argument: "You get no getting new insight, catharsis or inspiration from watching someone run." Applies to all of them?
  - jojobas 2y ago
    Yes. You have Einstein's "Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientist, more than Gauss!", and I don't think anyone of note ever said anything like that about any athlete. Yes, pro sports beget more pro sports, but that's not a positive feature.
    - goatlover 2y ago
      You can read Dostoesvsky and watch pro sports. They're not mutually exclusive. Do you think going to a music concert to listen to professional musicians play is also "wasteful" and of no benefit for anyone?
      - jacobgkau 2y ago
        I'd say yes, but then I'd say the same thing about reading Dostoevsky (if talking with this mindset), so I'm not really on GP's side re: novels being more valuable than sports.
    - SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
      It seems like you're over-intellectualizing the human experience. You don't think anyone has been inspired by sports? I just watched my entire city come alive with Stanley Cup fever. People were having a great time, it was a party the whole time. I barely understand the sport itself, I'm not a team sports guy, but to deny the excitement, inspiration, and sheer joy seems ridiculous under the crushing weight of the energy sports can bring people. People use it to better themselves, not just trying to get more pro sports, and that's a goal I think every person should strive towards. We are thinking things, but we're also masses of tissue, and it's important to celebrate that connection and that part of us.
- aeyes 2y ago
  > You get no getting new [...] inspiration from watching someone run. I'm an amateur runner and I get immense inspiration from watching pro athletes run, I'll never get half as good but it gives me a huge push to keep working towards my own goals.
  - SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
    I feel like people railing against these things are people who aren't aware of the various subcultures. It doesn't matter if you're a runner or a powerlifter, we all have people we see who inspire us. Just because Joe Schmoe doesn't know them doesn't mean no one does.
- chasd00 2y ago
  i get a lot of inspiration out of watching top sports teams perform. Basketball and American football especially. Basketball for the level of coordination between players and American football for the different specialized experts working together.
- el_duderino_ 2y ago
  Just because you do not get any benefit from watching athletes excel does not mean it is devoid of substance. I find it inspiring to watch someone do something that they have spent years working to achieve. Seeing them do the “impossible” through hard work and dedication is a great moment.

jojobas 2y ago

You get no getting new insight, catharsis or inspiration from watching someone run. Like chewing gum, it exploits your desire to watch, but there's no substance. Then again, there's the problem of how thousands of kids drop out of school to become pro athletes, and don't even reach college level, and the problem of colleges admitting illiterate athletes and letting them graduate illiterate for "prestige".

hm10 2y ago
Apart from getting inspired (like other replies have mentioned), there is plenty of insight to be obtained from watching sports. It is quite fun to observe and analyze the strategy and technical aspects of a sport - especially a sport that you play and train yourself. If someone never partakes in that sport, then yes - they may not necessarily understand the subtleties that happen in a particular move. But even if you're a hobby player, watching top pro athletes or teams utilize the techniques you are learning can make you appreciate the amount of work, skill, practice, and determination that goes into it. And that can be useful for people to apply in other areas of their lives.
sebastiennight 2y ago
No catharsis or inspiration? 2014. Finals of 4x400m female relay for the European Women's Championship.[0] The last French runner, Floria Gueï, gets the baton passed to her in a distant 4th place, well behind the top 3 favorites for the race: Russia, Ukraine and UK. In her own 400m solo race she was eliminated in the semifinals, a titanic disappointment. And now she is so far behind in the relay race, the French TV commentators are focusing on watching the battle unfold at the front and writing her off as a lost cause. That day, she performed one of the most impressive comebacks in the history of the sport to finish in first place. I would say that there is way more catharsis and inspiration in watching someone beat their own limits and rise above the odds, than you can find in most of fiction entertainment. I certainly don't find Rocky or Die Hard to be more impressive or inspirational as this 2-minute video. [0]: https://piped.video/watch?v=zU4MXTIYPF0 https://piped.video/watch?v=zU4MXTIYPF0
SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
Your initial complaint was about all pro-sports, would you say your argument: "You get no getting new insight, catharsis or inspiration from watching someone run." Applies to all of them?
- jojobas 2y ago
  Yes. You have Einstein's "Dostoevsky gives me more than any scientist, more than Gauss!", and I don't think anyone of note ever said anything like that about any athlete. Yes, pro sports beget more pro sports, but that's not a positive feature.
  - goatlover 2y ago
    You can read Dostoesvsky and watch pro sports. They're not mutually exclusive. Do you think going to a music concert to listen to professional musicians play is also "wasteful" and of no benefit for anyone?
    - jacobgkau 2y ago
      I'd say yes, but then I'd say the same thing about reading Dostoevsky (if talking with this mindset), so I'm not really on GP's side re: novels being more valuable than sports.
  - SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
    It seems like you're over-intellectualizing the human experience. You don't think anyone has been inspired by sports? I just watched my entire city come alive with Stanley Cup fever. People were having a great time, it was a party the whole time. I barely understand the sport itself, I'm not a team sports guy, but to deny the excitement, inspiration, and sheer joy seems ridiculous under the crushing weight of the energy sports can bring people. People use it to better themselves, not just trying to get more pro sports, and that's a goal I think every person should strive towards. We are thinking things, but we're also masses of tissue, and it's important to celebrate that connection and that part of us.
aeyes 2y ago
> You get no getting new [...] inspiration from watching someone run. I'm an amateur runner and I get immense inspiration from watching pro athletes run, I'll never get half as good but it gives me a huge push to keep working towards my own goals.
- SketchySeaBeast 2y ago
  I feel like people railing against these things are people who aren't aware of the various subcultures. It doesn't matter if you're a runner or a powerlifter, we all have people we see who inspire us. Just because Joe Schmoe doesn't know them doesn't mean no one does.
chasd00 2y ago
i get a lot of inspiration out of watching top sports teams perform. Basketball and American football especially. Basketball for the level of coordination between players and American football for the different specialized experts working together.
el_duderino_ 2y ago
Just because you do not get any benefit from watching athletes excel does not mean it is devoid of substance. I find it inspiring to watch someone do something that they have spent years working to achieve. Seeing them do the “impossible” through hard work and dedication is a great moment.