Why I'm not watching the Olympics

I hate spectator sports.

I hate the notion of excelling and "being all you can be."

I hate the commodification of everything.

I hate mass culture.

Comments

[janeywan]

I'd rather watch it rain myself. :)

[Hattie]

Janeywan: Thanks for dropping by. For some reason I can't get the comments function on your blog to work. But I have you on my bookmarks now, because I'm interested in your agricultural endeavors. Maybe I'll post sometime about mine.

[ekittyglendower]

I hate most spectator sports, but I really do not know the full connotations that are implied with the phrase spectator sports. I definitely hate the stereotypical manly man type sports, such as boxing, football, wrestling, and weightlifting and hate the crap like beach volleyball. I do love, love love watching the long distance bicycle racing and enjoyed a good one today. Of course I missed the last few laps (and I think it was going to be down hill) because the husband does not like the Olympics and was suddenly busy with dusting, and polishing, and vacuuming all in front of the television, so I had to abandon that treat. Actually, I think he hates it because it makes him feel less of a man because he is not athletic. But I’m sorry for that, because it is his fault for buying into the whole what is masculinity anyway. Don’t disrupt my enjoyment because you allow it to make you feel bad. I’m not athletic and I don’t let those athletes make me hate myself, even though I do understand how much of a slug I am.

I have no problem with the notion of excelling and “being all you can be.” What is wrong with that? I don’t live up to my potential, actually I don’t anyone in my immediate family that do. We are a family of underachievers that is for sure. I do agree with you that I don’t like the philosophy of “being all you can be” if it is used against someone because they are not being all they can be. We all cannot be super stars and many don’t want to be a super star. I’ve never wanted the attention and have never excelled in anything. But I don’t have a problem with the people who are struck by that desire. Well, I do a little when they cheat. If they cheat then they are not being all they can be, they are being a fraud.

Yes, I hate the commoditization of everything. God do I hate it.

If in mass culture, you mean hype, well, I’m there with you. I’ve have found that hype can turn me off so bad. Case in point. My I stumbled upon Harry Potter. Had never heard about it. I stumbled upon Harry Potter. It was not until after I read the third book and got a computer that I learned it had been a big deal. So I feel like I get a pass on that hype. But concerts, celebrities and all the things I am aware that is hyped, no, no deal.

[Rhea]

I agree with you on some of these. I also hate the competition among countries, as if borders actually mean something. Borders are just manmade crap that serve to do nothing but create discord.

[Cero]

Yes - and I also dislike the nationalism involved.

[Brandon]

I hate the notion of excelling and "being all you can be."

What do you mean?

[Hattie]

Young athletes too often get pushed into hyperachievement, and it's often for reasons extrinsic to their own interests.
I don't like the idea of young people being trained to excel in sports or any other field and to be put on display before they know their own minds.
And pulling in what Rhea and Cero add, to parade young athletes before the public for nationalistic reasons is reprehensible. Furthermore, the commercialization of the event makes it hard to discover any ideals at all here of athleticism or anything else.
I imagine most people don't agree with me, of course. But that's not any reason to believe that they are right, since the distortions are so obvious.