The '11 US Open is the first occasion in quite some time where I've watched matches outside of semifinal or finals matches. Most matches are either not competitive, or just too long to watch in their entirety so far.
I enjoy watching world class athletes, but I'm starting to wonder: what do I get out of this?
If you are interested in gambling, of course, you're going to want to understand the minutiae not only of player's games but of everything else that could affect a match outcome, and hence your wallet.
But then we get into a murkier, more subjective psychological world of "fan-dom" or fan-aticism." This includes people who are loyal to a particular champion level player and argues ad infinitum on the internet in defense of them.
What do people get out of this vicarious association? It's a waste of time, as they don't make money, and they get fatter from sitting in front of the computer. They are also often thought of as ridiculous, even moronic, by most others. Their favorite player knows nothing about them, except as an abstract statistic of who buys their merchandise.
What does the fan-atic get out of this one-sided relationship with a sports hero? They seem to get nothing tangible out of it, and it could even be argued that this type of loyalty is a pathetic form of cult worship. What is going on here?
I enjoy watching world class athletes, but I'm starting to wonder: what do I get out of this?
If you are interested in gambling, of course, you're going to want to understand the minutiae not only of player's games but of everything else that could affect a match outcome, and hence your wallet.
But then we get into a murkier, more subjective psychological world of "fan-dom" or fan-aticism." This includes people who are loyal to a particular champion level player and argues ad infinitum on the internet in defense of them.
What do people get out of this vicarious association? It's a waste of time, as they don't make money, and they get fatter from sitting in front of the computer. They are also often thought of as ridiculous, even moronic, by most others. Their favorite player knows nothing about them, except as an abstract statistic of who buys their merchandise.
What does the fan-atic get out of this one-sided relationship with a sports hero? They seem to get nothing tangible out of it, and it could even be argued that this type of loyalty is a pathetic form of cult worship. What is going on here?
