Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Swoop · 02-27-2003, 03:13 AM

Discuss!

(Starting considerations - the fanaticism; vast amounts of money involved; all-too-familiar muting of logic and reason when it comes to "our" team; customs/rituals...)

Keith Russell · 02-27-2003, 02:24 PM

Greetings:

Personally, I don't care about sports enough even to despise them.

Keith.

Mageth · 02-27-2003, 02:44 PM

I consider some spectator sports as opium for the asses.

Ensign Steve · 02-27-2003, 03:42 PM

The actual participation in athletic activity results in the release of endorphins in the brain. These endorphins act in a lot of the same way that opiates do. They serve as a pain-reliever, and they can help the athelete enter into a trance-like state, so he does not realize how truly boring it is to run for 26 solid miles, for example. Some people become addicted to working out as a replacement for drugs when they are in recovery. Sometimes when an athelete becomes injured, and can no longer work out, he experiences physical withdrawl symptoms.

John Page · 02-27-2003, 05:58 PM

Practice for the real battle to come.

anonymite · 02-28-2003, 01:18 AM

That's good opium!

Since the competitiveness and health benefits of sports and fitness can be directly related to natural selection and survival instinct, I would submit that sports do have some practicality. But I do enjoy a good game of pick up basketball now and then, so if you want to call it an opium, go right ahead. Though, does anything for which someone gets pleasure unrelated to his/her own "success" (however you define it) qualify as a drug, then?

Swoop · 02-28-2003, 03:02 AM

Keith - like yourself, for the most part sport means so little to me that it doesn't even bear consideration. However, with the current cricket "World Cup", I literally can't walk down a street without seeing some offensive reminder of it. About half the adverts showing on TV at the moment have some cricket reference, direct or indirect, and it would take some kind of national disaster to bump it from the newspaper headlines. PATHETIC.

Mageth - that was what I was alluding to - why hundreds of millions of people are content to sit and watch other people being paid ridiculous sums of money because they're... too lazy? unable? not good enough? to do it themselves.

Anonymite - I have no problem with those who actually PARTICIPATE, that obviously makes sense. Does anything pleasure-inducing qualify as a drug? of course not, by opium I was referring to the way people seem to put their minds away as soon as their ass hits the couch, to the point of not even wondering WHY they are watching someone else play a game.

Sport has devolved in many ways. And the sports fans are at the head of it.

(sorry

I didn't think this thread out very well, and while I've got a lot to say on the issue it's all gonna come out as mess, and I don't have time at the moment to formulate something more cohesive)

ChrisH · 03-03-2003, 11:03 AM

People get WAY too obsessed about spectator sports. Here in the UK its football (soccer), and it is the most boring sport ever. Almost everyone loves it, if you dont you're wierd... What I mean by people being too obsessed is that they live their lives around it. They can't miss a game. Thats the main reason I play less mainstream stuff like rugby (notice I said play, watching is completely boring compared to playing) and to a lesser extent, american football.

John Page · 03-03-2003, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ChrisH
People get WAY too obsessed about spectator sports....

But why (irrespective of anyone's opinion as to what is too much)? Isn't there research that the spectators get a testosterone rush?

Cheers, John

themistocles · 03-06-2003, 04:09 PM

I favor mass participation in sports, the legalization of dodge ball, and the teams I root for to stop being so crappy.

I'm in favor of outlawing motor sports, though, because it defies the very spirit of what it means to be a "sport". Boxing, soccer, and basketball should be played by all members of our civil society at one time or another in their lives. Golf will be allowed in our city on the hill, but looked down upon as taking up too much space which could better be used for pavement and that which goes ontop of pavement.

Sport is not an opiate of the masses, it is at the heart of virtue. Huzzah!

This is our glorious society.

02-27-2003, 03:13 AM	#1
Swoop Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Africa Posts: 55	Sport - opium for a different mass? Discuss! (Starting considerations - the fanaticism; vast amounts of money involved; all-too-familiar muting of logic and reason when it comes to "our" team; customs/rituals...)

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02-27-2003, 02:24 PM	#2
Keith Russell Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Overland Park, Kansas Posts: 1,336	Greetings: Personally, I don't care about sports enough even to despise them. Keith.

02-27-2003, 02:44 PM	#3
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	I consider some spectator sports as opium for the asses.

02-27-2003, 03:42 PM	#4
Ensign Steve Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Augusta, Georgia, United States Posts: 1,235	The actual participation in athletic activity results in the release of endorphins in the brain. These endorphins act in a lot of the same way that opiates do. They serve as a pain-reliever, and they can help the athelete enter into a trance-like state, so he does not realize how truly boring it is to run for 26 solid miles, for example. Some people become addicted to working out as a replacement for drugs when they are in recovery. Sometimes when an athelete becomes injured, and can no longer work out, he experiences physical withdrawl symptoms.

02-27-2003, 05:58 PM	#5
John Page Veteran Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: US Posts: 5,495	Practice for the real battle to come.

02-28-2003, 01:18 AM	#6
anonymite Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 497	That's good opium! Since the competitiveness and health benefits of sports and fitness can be directly related to natural selection and survival instinct, I would submit that sports do have some practicality. But I do enjoy a good game of pick up basketball now and then, so if you want to call it an opium, go right ahead. Though, does anything for which someone gets pleasure unrelated to his/her own "success" (however you define it) qualify as a drug, then?

02-28-2003, 03:02 AM	#7
Swoop Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: South Africa Posts: 55	Keith - like yourself, for the most part sport means so little to me that it doesn't even bear consideration. However, with the current cricket "World Cup", I literally can't walk down a street without seeing some offensive reminder of it. About half the adverts showing on TV at the moment have some cricket reference, direct or indirect, and it would take some kind of national disaster to bump it from the newspaper headlines. PATHETIC. Mageth - that was what I was alluding to - why hundreds of millions of people are content to sit and watch other people being paid ridiculous sums of money because they're... too lazy? unable? not good enough? to do it themselves. Anonymite - I have no problem with those who actually PARTICIPATE, that obviously makes sense. Does anything pleasure-inducing qualify as a drug? of course not, by opium I was referring to the way people seem to put their minds away as soon as their ass hits the couch, to the point of not even wondering WHY they are watching someone else play a game. Sport has devolved in many ways. And the sports fans are at the head of it. (sorry I didn't think this thread out very well, and while I've got a lot to say on the issue it's all gonna come out as mess, and I don't have time at the moment to formulate something more cohesive)

03-03-2003, 11:03 AM	#8
ChrisH New Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1	People get WAY too obsessed about spectator sports. Here in the UK its football (soccer), and it is the most boring sport ever. Almost everyone loves it, if you dont you're wierd... What I mean by people being too obsessed is that they live their lives around it. They can't miss a game. Thats the main reason I play less mainstream stuff like rugby (notice I said play, watching is completely boring compared to playing) and to a lesser extent, american football.

03-06-2003, 04:09 PM	#10
themistocles Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: las vegas, nevada Posts: 670	I favor mass participation in sports, the legalization of dodge ball, and the teams I root for to stop being so crappy. I'm in favor of outlawing motor sports, though, because it defies the very spirit of what it means to be a "sport". Boxing, soccer, and basketball should be played by all members of our civil society at one time or another in their lives. Golf will be allowed in our city on the hill, but looked down upon as taking up too much space which could better be used for pavement and that which goes ontop of pavement. Sport is not an opiate of the masses, it is at the heart of virtue. Huzzah! This is our glorious society.

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