I love sports, music and movies. I follow some college and pro teams in both football and basketball, I go to movies every chance I get. I also have 5 kids, so I am forced to keep up with what is current in music. There is a lot of fun stuff to watch out there, and I partake. Always have.
For people like me, this is an exciting time of year: The Super Bowl is this weekend, the Grammy Awards were last weekend, with the Oscars and March Madness following up in a few weeks.
But during the past 5 years, something changed inside me. I still love sports, music and movies, but I have stopped caring about the “big” events. I can’t really put my finger on it, but it is different. I used to watch all of these events faithfully. I made my Oscar predictions, filled out my brackets, bought my “tailgate” food, and made sure the I could watch, uninterrupted. Nowadays I rarely watch any of them.
Maybe I’m just getting old, apathetic, or curmudgeonly. I can’t really explain it. I also know that many (most) people feel differently. I totally understand that – I felt differently a few years ago, too.
–Here are some thoughts about it that have been bouncing around my head, and I might as well share them:
Isn’t it interesting that the SuperBowl, the Oscars, and the Grammys are all televised on Sunday night? Coincidence? I think not. I imagine some of Satan’s imps get a good chuckle out of their success with TV programming. It makes me recall that the Church designated Monday nights for FHE the very same month that the NFL began Monday night Football.
Years ago, I had a Stake President who would schedule Stake Priesthood Meeting on the evening of SuperBowl Sunday. When brethren would complain, he would just smile and say that it is always enlightening to see who shows up. And it was.
All of these events take place in large arenas, auditoriums and stadiums that I will probably never attend. BUT, with the miracle of television, I am able to bring those great and spacious buildings into my very own home – should I choose to do so.
There has been a lot of praise heaped on some Christian recording artists for walking out of the Grammy Awards this past Sunday. I do admire their courage and willingness to do that. What I don’t get is if they have those kind of convictions, why were they there in the first place? I imagine they were thinking, “Oooh, I’ll bet this year will be different! Maybe this year there won’t be anything profane, or vulgar, or shocking.” Right.
I didn’t watch, but it sounds like this year’s Grammy telecast reach new lows in depravity, immorality and just plain evil.
One of the biggest draws for award shows is fashion. Which is defined as “Let’s see who can get away with the most daring dress this year.” And by “daring” I mean “sleazy.”
One of the things that has helped me lose interest in the Academy Awards is that it has gotten to the point where I can’t really have a legitimate opinion, because most of the movies nominated do not meet my standards. Or God’s. (For a deeper look at this, here is an earlier post: “And the Nominees For Best Picture Are…“)
I have a NFL cap in my closet, and a house full of NBA and college team t-shirts, but I don’t really understand how invested we get in sports teams. We root for “our” team to win, and are impacted emotionally if they do, or don’t. What’s with that? Have you ever been in a bad mood after your team gets hammered? I have. How ridiculous is that?
Fandom is a bit bizarre. I understand rooting for BYU if you are Mormon, or Nortre Dame if you are Catholic. I even understand supporting Utah – if you are from Utah, or attended there. What I don’t get is why someone from Wichita, Kansas, would be a die-hard Seahawks fan – even though they have never even been to Seattle, don’t any of the players, or have any relationship the team whatsoever. Does it give us a sense of identity that we lack? Or de we find fulfillment in belonging to something bigger, or more successful than us? (Drifting to psycho-analysis – sorry)
We embrace our teams like there is actually a link there. We buy jerseys, and other stuff to show our loyalty. And when “our” team wins, we shout “We won!” as if we had something to do with it. You would think Russell Wilson would quickly be on the phone, to thank us for our help. The cold, hard truth is that it is not “my” team, as far as the team is concerned, and they don’t know I exist. I am more of an emotional parasite on the host.
The SuperBowl commercials were always a good draw, but now the companies release them online before the actual game, so, instead of watching 4 hours of football to see a few good commercials, you can spend 15 minutes online with the same result.
I think a lot of what has turned me of is the hype. The SuperBowl is no longer a game, it is a two-week period of wall to wall interviews, discussions, news stories, etc. You can’t escape it. If you aren’t careful, you could be tricked into thinking it was something important.
See? You can call me a curmudgeon if you like, a killjoy. I understand.
Sunday night, I will probably check in on the game sporadically, to see how it’s going. Hopefully, I won’t get sucked in, preventing me from finding better activities for such a large chunk of my Sabbath. If it were on a Saturday, I would be hunkered down for the duration. (Provided no emergency snack resupply runs were necessary.)
One thing for sure, if I do watch a little, I won’t care a lot.
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I love sports and movies, I love to play sports and watch movies and I have been a fan my whole life….. but I, too, find myself becoming less of a fan. I was analyzing this also recently and it is quite clear to me the reasons…. x-rated, sleazy actions, pornography, anti-God, profanity, etc. etc. are everywhere in sports and movies and entertainment.
I feel all of the above have taken over sports, movies and entertainment. It is very sad to me to witness this daily – the degradation of society. It is profound and so clear what is happening. I am happy I am of “grandmother” age. My memories of times when the world was much more “g” rated are still vivid to me. I feel so badly for my children, grandchildren and eventual great-grandchildren growing up in this.
We need to be more vigilant than ever in keeping God’s commandments and trying to be un-spotted.
My funny dad has always said he thinks the second coming will be superbowl sunday.
We don’t care much about football, but follow basketball…gotta know who’s good so my bracket can beat my husband’s bracket. I’m often offended by the soft porn commercials shown during sporting events. Our young son asked why they were wearing “in-pope-iate” clothes. The fragrance commericals at Christmas time are just as bad, or worse. Completely out of line for prime time, before bed time, family viewing times.
I wasn’t talking about numbing yourself to nudity. Just because your culture has oversexualized everything, even nudity, it doesn’t mean that nudity in every context is sexual or inapproriate. For example, in my country strangers who have never met each other might go to a public sauna naked and never think there’s anything sexual about it. Also most families go to sauna together without ever thinking it’s sexual. I think there’s something very weird, twisted and awkward in the way your culture sees nudity. I find the lack of understanding of other cultures very disturbing in this church and don’t like the way church is being used to impose american culture on other people. That should not be a way of a church that calls itself “genuinly international”.
I admire and appreciate a church that would frown on cultural “norms” such as casual public nudity, or as things important as same-gender marriage (both things Finns easily embrace). I don’t think it is a LACK of understanding of other cultures – I see it as BETTER understanding that some facets of ALL cultures – American included – are not to be admired, or perpetuated if they disagree with God’s standards – even though widely embraced. Regarding nudity, specifically – I am more concerned about God’s views on nudity, than how different cultures view it – and anyone who has been through the temple understands that He is not a fan.
What I’ve always found a bit curious is the american lds members’ stance on r-rated movies. You seem to be of a view, that there’s a commandment not to watch them. Or like you put it, r rated movies don’t meet god’s standards. For me, it’s not that simple. If, indeed, god has something to do with the movie ratings, then his standards vary depending on which country is showing the movie. Or are we to assume that we should apply the american ratings in this worldwide church? Am I to assume that whoever rates the movies in the states is receiving revelation from god on the issue? Sure, there’s benson’s talk on pornography that mentions the r-rating, but the rating is not what the talk was about. Let’s keep things in context. Sure, pornography would get an r-rating, but not all r-rated movies are pornography.
Should we watch r-rated movies then? Should we watch any movies? Should we watch disney? There’s a lot of competition of our time, and we are free to choose what we want to use our time for. But as for the movie ratings being somehow “god’s standards” I don’t buy it. I doubt that whoever rates them has god on his mind. It’s also very cultural thing. In my culture, for example, nudity is not so strongly related to sex as it is in the states. Therefore, nudity alone doesn’t earn very high ratings in my country, since we are used to seeing naked people in unsexual situations. Also, I saw nothing inapproriate about Passions of christ. The rating in my country was K18( you have to be 18 or above to be able to watch it in the theatre) and I agree with the rating, it was not a movie for underaged audience. I can’t imagine it being against god’s standards though.
Also, I have a friend whose 3 year old was not let in the theatre to watch frozen, since it was rated K7 ( meaning you need to be at least 7 to watch it or 4 if your with an adult). So many people were ranting on her Fb page about how that is so wrong, and they should let the parents decide what their kids can watch. Same people probably have no problem letting the movie raters in the states decide what their kids or themselves watch when there’s an r-rated movie involved. It’s just interesting, that when it comes to r-rated movies you all seem to have a collective agreement that the rating is correct and was put there by god.
Nobody ever claimed that God runs the ratings board. If it were, the the ratings would be MUCH tougher, and more dependable. My point is merely that in the US, we have been counseled not only to stay away from R-rated movies, but we have been counseled to stay away from things with a violence, nudity, sex, profanity and crudeness. Repeatedly. (Simply put, the 13th Article of Faith, and the simple standards as described in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet will suffice.)
I have yet to find an R-rated movie that meets those standards. Many PG-13 movies also don’t meet that test. Some G and PG movies do not meet the test. It is about the content. Living in a culture that has numbed itself to nudity and violence does not make it appropriate or acceptable.
I completely understand and appreciate your perspective, MMM. But I think I need to make a comment to defend manhood in general, as pretty much all of the comments appear to be from women or men who appear to have lost their man-cards (please recognize that that was really in jest. I have 4 daughters, and have struggled to remain a card-carrying member for years, while trying to be a good dad.)
We all should be engaged in good Sabbath worship, and other good things on the Sabbath. Check.
If all the commenters expect me or anyone to believe that those 4 hours that some may spend watching the Superbowl will be spent doing genealogy, visiting teaching, visiting the sick or some other full church-specific thing – I find that very difficult to believe that ALL of that time will be spent doing that. But good for all if that’s really the case.
Why would anyone be interested in sports? Because it’s enjoyable to some. I respect those that do not enjoy it. I enjoy(ed) playing, but cannot play at a high level any more (maybe never really did?) But to enjoy watching someone that’s very skilled do something very difficult and exciting – yeah, I enjoy that. And no, I don’t want to go watch a play, or a symphony or some other fine art performance. Just like the others can’t imagine watching others play sports – I don’t (usually) want to watch or listen to one of those.
Now should our Sundays be constantly full of programmed sports events? Of course not. I can’t see how anyone can successfully rationalize that. But to watch a little of a game, THE football game of the year – maybe once a year?
Yeah, I can live with that. But I think I can live with the DVR version to skip anything I wouldn’t want to see in the commercial.
And I’m grateful that there are all kinds of people with different likes – and I don’t expect others to like the same as I do.
From a faithful reader/fan, who enjoys, but is not addicted to sports. And will probably watch a little of the game tomorrow. Probably.
I enjoy watching sports, and attending sporting events. I enjoy playing sports. But I now suck at it. I hope I didn’t give the impression that I am anti-sports. What I don’t understand in the fanaticism of die-hard fans who personalize it to the extent that it takes over a part of their lives, and manipulates their emotional state.
As I mentioned, I will probably check in on the game – I have to do something to keep grounded here on earth – my family needs me around – not twinkled. Glad you’ll still be here, too.
I didn’t get that impression – that you don’t like sports. I think fanaticism in pretty much anything can’t be a good thing – and the die-hard sports fan you’re speaking of, needs to re-prioritize.
And I still have plenty of things to work on – things that are keeping me ‘around’ – more than watching some part of a Sunday football game once a year. Enjoy.
I can understand a little emotional attachment to a college team if you are an alum….a person invests casts sums of time and money in their educational institution of choice, and that attachment is often deep and broad.
Attachment to pro teams? I don’t get that at all….except for Major League Baseball. That is so old, so connected with history and the cities where the teams are located, they become part of the fabric of the community. Or maybe that’s just a blind spot of mine. I’ve rewatched Ken Burns’ documentary film series Baseball recently, as it has stirred my love of the ancient game yet again, in this dark cold winter.
The comment about touring the sewer in a glass bottom boat was particularly thought-provoking. As a society we seem to have totally forgotten that in breathing we unavoidably take into ourselves the vapors of the poisons visible through the glass bottom (screen) we think is protecting us. We refuse to accept the warnings we have been given that the glass bottom (screen) is porous and in reality does not screen (v. t.) anything. “Vice is a monster of so frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”
I always like a good ward chorister who selects the hymn “Who’s On The Lord’s Side? Who?” on Superbowl Sunday!
Remember back in the days of Superbowl <X when, during afternoon Sacrament Meeting, someone would change the numbers on the hymn board in the chapel to reflect the score?
I go along with those that find watching pro sports, and even college sports, to be a waste of time. I would much rather play. I do enjoy watching some of the olympic events, figure skating (winter) and gymnastics (summer); mostly because they show a high degree of skill and artistry. (This may be because my mother put me in dancing in Kindergarten and I stayed with it until I graduated High School, as a guy this was skill beneficial in my late teens). I do enjoy watching the FoML play, but then there is a vested interest there. I saw a huge rift develop between one young couple when he chose to attend a BYU/UU game instead of attending his sis-in-law's wedding reception. He argued that he was at the sealing, which arguably was more important, but it took a while to get over that.
One of the most enjoyable games that I didn't really watch was at work. (If you look at my moniker you will see that I had a 24/7/365 job for 28 years) The UCLA/BYU game a few years ago was especially enjoyable, but only because my buddies had talked it up so much. Then when it became apparent that it was a wash, they begged to turn it off. I enjoyed teasing them about watching it to the end more than actually watching it.
Every quarter of the year, my EC reminds me that she is eternally grateful that my committment to my teams (49's, Yankees, Jazz, Ducks) usually stops before my wallet comes out and if there is anything else interesting on TV (not that there is much other than the Mormon music channel on Sundays anyway).
I probably didn't contribute anything with this post, other than affirming that I too believe that as a society we have fallen into a trap where we celebrate a few and mistakenly associate ourselves with their triumph. I wonder how many members of church associate their Savior's triumph with themselves but don't actually participate in it beyond being a casual observer?
Well, if not being particularly interested in the Grammys, the Oscars, the Superbowl, etc… makes you a curmudgeon then I’ve been one since I was a teen. I’ve NEVER understood those who take extreme pleasure in watching these events (and don’t get me started on American Idol). I simply don’t see the point of watching these events; they teach me nothing and I loose valuable time that could be spent being productive. Now, If that’s how others spend their time that’s up to them, just don’t expect me to care who scored a goal-point-basket at the most recent sporting event 🙂 I’m a curmudgeon in my twenties and I’m okay with that.
You said, “You can’t escape it.” Well, you can if you choose to. We don’t watch TV here and manage to “escape it” for the most part. You can choose to change stations on the radio, too. We also attend very few movies–we carefully select what we watch. I was appalled this summer to see some scantily-clad women in a commercial on TV (my son was home from college and turned on the NBA playoffs). And it wasn’t just the lack of clothing…it was also the crude language and blaring sexual innuendos (and these were just commercials). I hadn’t watched TV for so long that it was shocking for me to see how low the standard is now for prime-time viewing. Have you heard of the frog that was boiled…by degrees? I fear that we are in the same pot as that frog!
Can’t choose to escape it. We have a responsibility to know what is going on in the world, which you can’t do without following the news – and you can’t follow the news without hearing about the Super Bowl.
I’m feeling like I have less time on earth at age 56. I just told my husband, “why would I spend time watching others do things when I could be doing something myself.” Like reading, sewing, visiting with a friend or family member. I’m planning on not watching the Olympics for the same reason. Just saying.
My sis made a comment on FB earlier this week that said she didn’t want people’s ‘play-by-play comments’ on the SOTU because their comments were about as interesting ‘as watching someone else’s paint dry.’ I replied I felt the same way about people making play-by-play comments about the SuperBowl, the Grammies, and whatever other ‘big event’ people flood FB with. Some events affect (and effect) our lives, some don’t. I love your post, I feel the same way. Those things draw our attention away from things that are more important and often more fun. People are often surprised at how much our family does. We reply that one hobby we don’t have in common with most Americans is watching TV. It frees up time to do things that are much more enjoyable and satisfying.
I thought it was interesting that Christian singer, Mandisa, won two grammys but didn’t attend. Her statement about it is worth repeating here: “I have been struggling with being in the world, not of it lately. I have fallen prey to the alluring pull of flesh, pride, and selfish desires quite a bit recently. … I knew that submerging myself into an environment that celebrates those things was risky for me at this time. I am taking steps to renew my mind to become the Heavenly Father-centered, completely satisfied with Jesus, and Holy Spirit-led woman I felt I was a few months ago, but I’m feeling a bit like an infant learning to walk again on shaky legs.” I submit that submerging in yourself in that environment is always risky.
Great quote.
There’s a football game coming up?? Not big sports fans here.
Ditto RoeH: I just don’t understand the hype, either. I don’t even understand watching sports- to me, the point is exercise, which I’m not getting if I am watching,… but I digress. I went to BYU and I don’t really care who wins those games, much less some team that exists purely as a cash cow and that I have no affiliation with. And to spend money supporting them buy buying merchandise, or waste hours following them? I just don’t get it. I am so glad I found a man who is not a sports addict- I just couldn’t handle it!
@MMM- “Maybe I’m just getting old, apathetic, or curmudgeonly.” Maybe the 2nd or 3rd :), but not the 1st. I’m only 34 and have never understood the attraction of these events. Or course, I’ve never seen the Super Bowl, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, etc.- (maybe I just don’t know what I’m missing- helps not having had a TV growing up), but I’ve never had the desire to, either.
I’m also fortunate enough that my husband is totally indifferent to sports. The only way I even know what sport is in season is break-room conversations at work.
As for the entertainment industry, I’ve heard it said that Hollywood is like a trip through a sewer in a glass-bottomed boat. That glass seems to be getting thinner as time goes on, too.
Good point raised about how many of these pop-culture “must see” events are trying to compete with the Sabbath.
I couldn’t agree more with every word, paragraph, comma, period and whatever else in this post. I do not understand all the hype for something that really isn’t ……quite that important. Just me.
Good thoughts.
I’ve had some similar thoughts about sports and our addiction to them. Humans seem to be hardwired with a tendency toward tribal behavior — we want to be part of and fit in with a group, but be separate from and different than (and superior to) those outside the group. I think that’s part of what drives nationalism, political parties, school rivalries, gangs, cliques — and sports fanaticism. Even if we’re not actually part of the group (after all, most of us don’t actually play on major league sports teams), we somehow want to feel like we’re part of the team (and superior to those poor benighted fools that are fans of the other team).
Advertisers and sports promoters know this, and do their best to make us feel like we’re a part of things so that we give the teams our support (and drive the advertising dollars). We’re not “emotional parasites” — it’s actually the exact opposite. The sports teams (and the advertisers) are the parasites, feeding on a large number of individual hosts to provide them with the nourishment (i.e. money) that they crave. And we buy into it because it gives us a sense of vicarious accomplishment, a sense of belonging.
But it’s ultimately hollow. Just one more aspect of the natural man that we need to overcome…
I agree that the teams are economic parasites, but emotionally, the fans derive their emotional state from the team.
I do enjoy your explanation of vicarious accomplishment and tribalism very much.
Great post! I shared this with my husband because it was so uncannily similar to his thoughts on the Superbowl that you took the words right out of his mouth.
Thanks for this, MMM. As I read this, I am also being bludgeoned by my children and extended family for non-participation in this Sunday’s event. I told my 11 y/o that I would like to watch it too but could not reconcile Sabbath observance with 4 hours of football. I told him that if he could find some justification, I would enjoy participating. So far he hasn’t done it. More pernicious than a little Sabbath day indulgence is the sleaze surrounding the event. Every year the Super Bowl is also the largest single day, sex trafficking event in the world. I suppose my non-participation is a bit of a protest. Having said that, I judge no one for their choice to indulge. It just doesn’t work for me.
I remember an Institute instructor who poked a hornets nest by telling us that you could tell where a man’s heart was (in part) by where he spends Superbowl Sunday. If he is attending his church meetings and fulfilling his callings, he is likely on the Lord’s side. However, if he ignores these to spend time watching football, well…
Thanks for this excellent post! I have never been fanatic about Any of these events. I just couldn’t bring myself to care about them. I have an intense burning apathy about professional sports and all the ward ceremony’s for entertainment. I thought I was weird, but maybe, just maybe, I actually had some small set of my priorities correct after all.
I always find the line interesting in preach gospel about the sabbath day that says “we don’t participate in commercial sporting activities that commonly desecrate the sabbath day”.