2008 Woodie Awards
Human vs human, a dirty fight to the top
Sam Sotheara
Issue date: 10/15/05 Section: Opinion
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I remember when "Real TV" aired videos of police chases, drunk frat-guys lunging off two story buildings and unsuccessful "Jackass" wannabes. Now, every so often, you'll see a video of a little league baseball game. The video isn't zoomed in on the baseball diamond, but the stands; where two heated fathers are in a fist fight.
Wives and other spectators don't attempt to stop the brawl, but are cheering for their respected sides. The amateur cameraman fixes his lens on the emotional, committed faces of the fathers showcasing their raw competitiveness. That competitive human nature is more evident in an athletic sporting event than any other venue, even if it's not the players experiencing that competitiveness.
How many riots have started after football, basketball or baseball games? Soccer riots are so common; they're apart of the game now, like fighting in hockey. Doesn't competition bring out the best in us?
The business world is just as competitive as sports, so is entertainment. Actually, our whole society is competitive. Which raises the question, are we too competitive socially?
I asked former Delta student Cindy Lee the same question. Cindy replied, "Yes, everything is so unstable; we have to argue and fight in order to get what we want."
Most people are naturally competitive, this isn't a secret, everyone is aware of their own competitiveness. Isn't it that competitive nature that enabled man to hunt and survive in his first hours? Although our hunting today involves knowing how to beat the lines at Smart Foods and our survival is based on how fast you can hit the ground when you hear gunshots.
Even in Smart Foods, soccer moms will compete for that 'perfect' ripe watermelon, knowing whoever enjoys it will not acknowledge their efforts. That instinctive nature to compete can be used, too, for other purposes than fruit, though. If you look at any successful person in any field, entertainment, sports, business, they all have one thing in common.
Wives and other spectators don't attempt to stop the brawl, but are cheering for their respected sides. The amateur cameraman fixes his lens on the emotional, committed faces of the fathers showcasing their raw competitiveness. That competitive human nature is more evident in an athletic sporting event than any other venue, even if it's not the players experiencing that competitiveness.
How many riots have started after football, basketball or baseball games? Soccer riots are so common; they're apart of the game now, like fighting in hockey. Doesn't competition bring out the best in us?
The business world is just as competitive as sports, so is entertainment. Actually, our whole society is competitive. Which raises the question, are we too competitive socially?
I asked former Delta student Cindy Lee the same question. Cindy replied, "Yes, everything is so unstable; we have to argue and fight in order to get what we want."
Most people are naturally competitive, this isn't a secret, everyone is aware of their own competitiveness. Isn't it that competitive nature that enabled man to hunt and survive in his first hours? Although our hunting today involves knowing how to beat the lines at Smart Foods and our survival is based on how fast you can hit the ground when you hear gunshots.
Even in Smart Foods, soccer moms will compete for that 'perfect' ripe watermelon, knowing whoever enjoys it will not acknowledge their efforts. That instinctive nature to compete can be used, too, for other purposes than fruit, though. If you look at any successful person in any field, entertainment, sports, business, they all have one thing in common.