Hello folks! Now, you really are all required to respond to these prompts; I'm not kidding. Some of you are getting right on it, while others are waiting in the wings. If you haven't responded to the first prompt, do so today. Then respond to this one (again as a comment to this posting). Be sure to read others' comments before making your own. If you are one of the first to comment, come back and see how others have responded to your comment.
This week, please pick up the question of the day, today: Is the sports fan--the one who knows everything about the sports he or she watches and barely participates in democracy truly free? (You may replace "sports" with any form of entertainment or distraction, such as videogames, gambling, etc.) Why or why not?
In your answer use Jefferson's definition of freedom from the Declaration of Independence. Or, if you prefer, use White's. Alternatively, use the one I introduced in class, the one about thinking for yourself or live in the cell others will build for you. The most daring of you will debate the different definitions in answering this question.
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12 comments:
I believe that the "sports fan" is a free person. (I am going to refer to the sports fan as "him" just to make it easier). As Jefferson wrote "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". He stated that those 3 things are unalienable rights. So if the sports fan wants to sit around and memorize his stats, that is his pursuit of happiness. America is one of the few countries where that is allowed. If he doesn't want to move away from his couch. That is his right. It is his right as much as it is his right to take to the streets and advocate a bill to pass or a certain candidate to vote for. It is just not as productive or meaningful, but it is his right nonetheless. What if the sports fan's happiness or "bliss" is ignorance? He claims that voting puts too much stress into his life and makes him unhappy with life. If his happiness isn't against the law, and isn't hurting anyone else, who are we to say that he can't have that bliss?
I pose a question for the class, If you believe the sports fan isn't free, then should it become a law that you HAVE to vote?? And wouldn't that take away from the sports fan seemingly harmless pursuit of happiness?
Well.. after reading this prompt and going back over the readings, I still think that a person is FREE because he or she is able to do what they want. Personally, after a long day of school and listening to professors yap and yap all morning, all I want to do is to get away and relax. It is my RIGHT and I trust that my taxes are paying for the people in office. I believe that the people that are governing Americans are competent in their billet as leaders of the USA. Thomas Jefferson's the declaration of independence, states that, "to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." So what does this mean? The way i interpret this is:
If a person enjoys watching football, playing video games, or whatever he or she likes to do on their leisure time is being jeopardized, he or she can make change. "The people's" right to make change is powerful and without this foundation, i don't think freedom will be free.
I agree with Ken when he said "So if the sports fan wants to sit around and memorize his stats, that is his pursuit of happiness," because it isn't mandatory to vote. Voting is just a priviledge like my reading teacher told me today. My dad and I were talking about something similar to this topic earlier today. He said that people are "forced" to vote because that is the way society is shaped. I've never really been a fan about politics, so like the sports fan I'd rather have something else take up my time and enjoy my freedom in a different way than the people who choose to vote. This is going to be my first time voting and I still don't want to go because I don't think it really makes a difference whether you vote or not. I mean you can vote and the person you voted for President could still end up winning, eventhough people say that your vote counts it doesn't seem like it. There's some people out there that try to do anything to make it go a different way.
So the sports fan is free. Mr. Maxwell told us in class that the beer makers are the one that keep the sports fan from being free, well society keeps the citizens of america from being free.
I'd have to agree with ken and m&m on this one. If freedom is the pursuit of happiness then people can pursue whatever makes them happy. If voting makes them happy then more power to them. For me, watching Formula 1 races or the 24 Hours of LeMans makes me happy. I submitted my vote for this election, but I didn't really want to take the time to fill everything out. I didn't make me happy. People are free to pursuit happiness and dull task of voting. Besides the candidates all promise something now, but they never fulfill these promises in the future. They want to become President to fatten their pockets. So the person who sits on the couch is free because he made a better decision toward happiness.
I agree with all off the above posters so far that " The Sports Fan is Free". Sports gives me my pursuit with happiness without it, I would be dreadful and fatigue, it's just part of my life and I love everything that has to do with the subject "sports". Politics ehh, Politics I don't really give a crap about Politics, should I yes, But I just have 0% interest in the subject. But something has changed this year a little. In the past, I didn't care and always went with the person everybody was against just to do so. Presently the fact that we can have a first woman president or African-American president, It's got my attention a little bit. I didn't register in time, nor even knew about a registration deadline because I had no interest, and figured I'd probably get Jury Duty faster by registering. Well, After watching the results tonight, I wish I could vote for Obama, because for reasons I only know. I guess seeing a African American president would give me a better "pursuit of happiness" thats just how I feel. The Sports Fan is free, and he or she has the power to do whatever she wants, and nothing can change that. Like Scott said, I Sat home and made a better choice for myself watching the news, playing video games, watching sports, going out with my buddies because that's what made me happy, not doing something I've never had interest in. If voting is still that important, people haven't done their job to get my full attention. But I'll tell you one thing, If races had Record elections like never having a woman president or African American president more frequently, I think It would catch my attention, and this election is starting to do so, but it is too late.
PS: if any of the above doesn't make sense - It probably has to do with the FACT that I got a 101.5 Fever...
I believe that it is your duty as an American Citizen to vote. People have fought and died to make this great country what it is, and the rights the government gives to us the people. If you can watch 3 hours of ESPN and devote your life to sports you can take 30 minutes to fill out a ballot.
Ken brings up the question well what if his/her happiness is derived from ignorance and not voting, then that individual would not be free because they didn't voice their opinion like everybody else. He or she does not vote and knows that they did not vote therefore can never be happy.
I don't agree with James' comment about people not being free if they didn't "voice their opinion like everyone else" because then it wouldn't be their choice, it would be others choosing for them. It's like getting on the band wagon. If you do what everyone else is doing then you're not forming your own opinions and following what makes YOU happy.
I believe that the sports fan, in not participating in democracy and learning about sports, is living out the 'definition of freedom'. Is it true freedom when someone cant take interest in what they want? I overall agree with Jefferson's definition of freedom, in that, a person has the right to live life how they see fit(under the law of course). When something, government or otherwise, threatens to end this freedom, the people have the right and responsibility to protect it.
What is the pursuit of happiness when you aren't able to pursue what makes you happy?
I have to say that I agree with basically everything people said here. The declaration of independence declares our freedom, our right to choose, and while doing it legally, I feel that we all choose what makes us happy. That is in comparison with the idea of following your bliss. If watching sports in someones pastime makes them happy, then go for it. It is kind of like judging people for their definition of what freedom is to them. everyone is different, everyone has their own ideas about freedom.
I also feel that people should vote and should help this country in chosing what may be best for it because the end results effect everyone in one way or another. But that doesnt mean that I will judge them weather or not they did. But part of peoples freedon gives us the right to do so (or not). It is each individuals choice.
To be quite honest i believe the "sports fan" is not free. If anything, the "sports fan" is caught in their own bliss as stated by Joseph Campbell in "Follow your Bliss". They are being ignorant and are restraining themselves to the outside world and what it has to offer. Sitting in front of the television yelling profanities and "GO GO.....OH MY GOD" is not being free. Perhaps they are free to state what they feel about the opposing team but not about what is going on in the world. For example, we have an election that is on every news station and channel. I highly doubt that the avid sports fan has enough time to turn on the news to see what going on with the debates. But they sure do have time to watch ESPN and the highlights that followed the 7 o' clock game. Being free is when you can open your mind to all possibilities and form an opinion about it. Is being ignorant really being free? Or is it an escape of actually having to form an opinion about something bigger in this world besides sports.
The sports fan is the basic American. He/she is a person that is not so complex in thinking and has either given up on our government or just decided that no matter what they do their is no way they can effect the outcome. This is proven very wrong as Obama Girl has most deffinatley changed some votes and at the very least interested people about Obama that werent so interested in him before. So the sports fan i think is just a lazy person with no ambition.=/
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