Sports idiocy

[sabrinathecat]

Judging from the irresponsible displays of fireworks and loud detonations, I'm guessing that the CA Bay Area team won some sports thing again.
Irresponsible unleashing of fireworks by children and prats old enough to know better but somehow still acting as children is something that has troubled me before, and I don't have to deal with the drunken parties or "sideshow" traffic hazards, or any of the even more offensive behavior.

Serious question: is the performance of imported athletes (who you've probably never met and do not actually know, who don't in any way reflect your community or genetic heritage, who, in short, know you even less than you know them) really that important to you? Important enough to risk setting fire to people's homes during a drought? Enough to risk your health with intoxication and behavior that is the result of that intoxication? Why? Can someone please explain?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yes, because sports.

Remember, "fan" is derived from "fanatic"- when you're talking fandom, you're talking about fundamentally irrational behavior.

 

[sabrinathecat]

Painting your face in team colors: (mostly) harmless fun
buying (and wearing) team shirts: (mostly) harmless (except to your bank account)
reckless public endangerment: not harmless

 

[Umbran]

Where did you get the idea that humans were particularly good at risk assessment, such that they would gauge well between harmless and not-harmless fun?

 

[Crothian]

Important enough to risk setting fire to people's homes during a drought? Enough to risk your health with intoxication and behavior that is the result of that intoxication? Why? Can someone please explain?

Because it's fun.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Where did you get the idea that humans were particularly good at risk assessment, such that they would gauge well between harmless and not-harmless fun?

Add to that fundamental flaw what we know about mob/crowd social/mental dynamics, and you have a recipe for loony and even dangerous behavior.

 

[sabrinathecat]

Because it's fun.

Please elucidate.

 

[Crothian]

Please elucidate.

Fun like enjoyment and amusement. Alcohol seems to help though I myself don't participate in that part of the celebrations.

 

[Scott DeWar]

Re Amusement:

muse: to think, dwell upon, mentally exert effort into

prefix 'A':

to do without, to not have

Ergo: to act without thought.

 

[Umbran]

Add to that fundamental flaw what we know about mob/crowd social/mental dynamics, and you have a recipe for loony and even dangerous behavior.

Yep.

I think, "because it is fun," doesn't really cover, say, burning sofas and overturning cars after a Big 10 football game. But mob dynamics do.