Take, say, sports -- that's another crucial example of the indoctrination system, in my view. For one thing because it -- you know, it offers people something to pay attention to that's of no importance. [audience laughs] That keeps them from worrying about -- [applause] keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And in fact it's striking to see the intelligence that's used by ordinary people in [discussions of] sports [as opposed to political and social issues]. I mean, you listen to radio stations where people call in -- they have the most exotic information [more laughter] and understanding about all kind of arcane issues. And the press undoubtedly does a lot with this.
You know, I remember in high school, already I was pretty old. I suddenly asked myself at one point, why do I care if my high school team wins the football game? [laugbter] I mean, I don't know anybody on the team, you know? [audience roars] I mean, they have nothing to do with me, I mean, why I am cheering for my team? It doesn't mean any -- it doesn't make sense. But the point is, it does make sense: it's a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements -- in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism. That's also a feature of competitive sports. I think if you look closely at these things, I think, typically, they do have functions, and that's why energy is devoted to supporting them and creating a basis for them and advertisers are willing to pay for them and so on.
From this, it's interesting to consider the hidden lessons that the football culture teaches whether people realize it or not. Perhaps here are a few of them:
1. Akin to our current state of our liberal democracy, you are to identify with one team and cheer for them as if your cheering had any influence over the outcome of the game. However, the reality is you will never have an impact on the outcome of the game.
2. The hierarchy of winners in a football league is similar to our state of economic corporatism and this should be celebrated, not condemned. There can and should be only one winner on the top of the pyramid, just like how we now have 1% of the population in the US controlling 40% of the wealth.
3. If you're actually present in the stadium during the game, you might be paying as much as two or three times as much as what you'd normally pay for junk food or carbonated soda drinks. Nevertheless, people by habit pay whatever price is set before them without organized protest or attempts to negotiate a better price point.
4. It's a social norm to be sitting next to a complete stranger and pay more attention to the entertainment rather than focus on engaging in a meaningful conversation with them.
5. Many football stadiums are now named after corporations aiding in their public relations efforts to convince the public that they give more than they take from the community. The reality of course is that the majority of corporations don't pay income taxes.
6. Referees, like the Supreme Court for instance, can make decisions that affect the outcome of the game regardless of the consensus of the fans.
7. Peer pressure to attend football games can come from family, friends, or neighbors. To not attend a game in some suburban communities can leave people feeling excluded. The lesson here is that it's better to be like everyone else and spend an entire weekend getting emotionally invested in an outcome over which you have no control, and spend money in the process, and expect nothing tangible at the end other than a memory of the event.
There are other subtle lessons football teaches I'm sure. While I doubt most owners of football teams or NFL executives really fully understand or analyze the sociological adverse impact of promoting football, the importance of mass distraction dates back to the Colosseum around 80 A.D. in Ancient Rome.
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