Are sports special? Indeed, yes! Why? Well, most people are busy playing games, right? No, I am NOT referring to the stupid addictive computer/mobile games. They are truly dangerous. Life threatening, however, are the games people play, especially for mastery/control over others.
Such games have a huge variety. The most well-known is playing the victim card. Such people are great at blaming the circumstances and/or the other people for their difficulties. They choose to ignore that they never play by the simple rule, 'we make our destinies', and hence we continue to play it passionately, however many might be the blocks and hurdles on the way.
The other game is sado-masochistic. "I am the king, you are the pawn; you better me obey, or you are gone," is the motto of such 'master' players. Often their behaviour is passive-aggressive. Eternally, they are playing the cat-mouse game with the often hapless, at times willing, victim/other.
The collective games people play are quite crazy, too. In my blog yesterday, I referred to one such viciously dangerous game, the cult craze! It is a horrible mind game, and better be beware of such brain-washing.
There can be healthy games, too. The "you win; I, too, win" game is the best supportive, creative mode which does not make "any one" suffer! Similarly, team togetherness is yet another winning match. People who respect others, and self, prefer such win-all strategies.
The so-called actual games, however, are no longer sports. For one thing, they are hyper professional. They are, moreover, excessively competitive, and are market- and monies-driven. Look at the gentlemen's game to understand the circus! Yet another example could be the cultural fests such as 'manglagaur games' which capitalise on the traditional venture(s) factor.
The heady but dangerous mix of these with the 'favourite club or preferred national team' feel is a volatile match that George Orwell discussed most explosively a century ago! Let us not practise what he preached against very vocally.
Well, when World Cup or Olympic Games are imminent, better that we wake up to all such ugly realities, weed them out, and let the real winning spirit, 'may the best player/team enjoy his/her/their day!", be the motto. Sports would truly be special then!
Pratima@ An honest win is ninety per cent genuine efforts and ten per cent luck!
No comments:
Post a Comment