3 ms·
Driving delivery vans or installing windows is actively helping other people, why would I belittle that. I don't doubt that a lot of "scientists" don't do much
by Tichy 14y ago
Driving delivery vans or installing windows is actively helping other people, why would I belittle that.
I don't doubt that a lot of "scientists" don't do much of use - all I say is that professional athletes in my opinion definitely don't do anything of use, whereas at least some scientist certainly do. And if somebody cures cancer, let them be selfish as much as they want, they still gave something to society.
Nobody asks to admire pharma execs, but the notion that professional athletes should be admired exists.
As for inspiring people to take up a recreational sport: really? Is that what the Olympics do? It seems very unlikely to me, because the athletes are so obviously beyond the things normal humans can achieve. And if that is the goal, it could probably be had cheaper with some advertisements. Think not only the costs for all the branding, licensing and whatnot, but also the hours people waste in front of the TV.
- squidi 14y agoWe hope it will have that effect in London [1]. The plans for the legacy are beyond what some advertisements could achieve [2]. [1] http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news/newsrelease.asp?newsPk=1331 http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/news/newsrelease.asp?newsPk=1331 [2] http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/ http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/
- rprasad 14y agoA lot of the professional athletes from my school use their positions to help fund (and/or run) nonprofits across the state of California. Some of them run nonprofits that benefit refugees in Africa. Others fund medical clinics in Southeast Asia. More than a few have helped raise millions for the cancer research you love so dearly. You know what they all have in common? Their job is to be an athlete. It says nothing about their ability to give back to society. Indeed, I would argue that the average professional athlete gives back more to society and creates more value than a hacker who wants to give the world Yet Another Useless Social Platform/iApp/SaaS That No One Will Ever Use. In my opinion, merely creating a startup is not something of value to society--you actually have to create something of value.
- Tichy 14y agoSo the thinking of the average athlete is "I want to win the gold medal so that I can earn lots of money and donate it to cancer research"? Whatever - admire all you want, I simply chose different heroes for myself. And "bread and games" is always coming to my mind during such events...