Since retiring some years back I have included among my hobbies an exploration (more dabbling really) in Eastern Religions. Among my favorite discoveries is a gentleman named Jiddu Krishnamurti, who - although clearly influenced by Eastern Religion - was careful that he did not include himself as a member of any religion at all. This position is integral to his philosophy. Our search for the truth will not be discovered in Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, but in a search for the truth that is not constrained by any one system of belief.
Further - and more to my current point - when we describe ourselves as a member of one of these religions we effectively separate ourselves from the others. Whatever else a Jew is, he is not a Christian. A Catholic is not a Buddhist. A Muslim is not an Agnostic.
Such separations are, of course, not limited to religion. We have separated ourselves as Men and women. Blacks and whites. Americans and Chinese. Conservatives and Liberals. Those who like peppers on their nachos and those who don't. And yes - Buckeyes and Boilermakers.
And whatever the differences between our group and some other group may be, they are quickly expanded by differences that we ascribe, commonly without justification or evidence. Differences that make us comfortable being part of the group we are in and help us resist joining or even cooperating with another. Muslims are violent. Liberals are brain dead. Wolverines are arrogant, vapid, caca heads..
This separation into groups is cause for much of the misery in the world today. Muslim against Jew. Tootsie against Hutu. Black against white. And yes, Buckeye against Boilermaker.
Many of these confrontations - and particularly in the world of sports - are zero sum games. In team sports there is one winner and one loser. Whatever one group gains, the other loses. And often, by competing rather than cooperating everyone loses a little in the process.
A perfect world would be one in which we look past all of our differences and work together towards common goals. One need only look at our own congress of the past few administrations to see how lack of cooperation has forestalled progress in expanding the role of government to benefit the lives of all.
Why can't sports be more like the world of art? A well sung aria is judged on its own merits - not as part of a battle between two prima donnas. A great Pas de deux is simply that - enjoyed by all regardless of race, religion, or team colors.
If we look at it this way, when one team makes a great play - we can all share that play. When one team, scores, everybody scores. And when one team wins - we all win.
Much will be made in the sports pages and on ESPN about how OSU failed Saturday. Let it go. These folks are fixated on a distinction between two groups that has no real meaning.. They are blinded to the fact that great plays were made and touchdowns scored - and that who made those plays or scored those touchdowns is - in the broader picture - secondary.
I understand that this is foreign to our nature. But if you can embrace the idea then you can also see that there is no reason to hang our heads. The Buckeyes did not "lose". The world is not made of Buckeyes and Boilermakers - but of people. So if Purdue won the game - then we won the game too.
And we didn't just win.
We kicked our ass.
(Disclaimer: I wasn't sure if I would be writing any move of these "observations" but I was inspired this week by the contents of my mail box. Much to my surprise I have received this year's PulletSir Prize for Tongue-In-Cheek Sports Related Literature. I was at a loss at first. Then I learned that a private comment I had made in an email was being widely circulated. That comment - that "I can't stand stinky Bush" - has apparently been interpreted as political commentary rather than its intended expression of my personal philosophy regarding hygiene. Oh well, what can I do but try to live up to their expectations. After all, I did get 50 bucks and a free chicken dinner.)
"It's just football - get over yourself." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Be wary of those who do not like peppers on their nachos. They are cocksuckers." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
Further - and more to my current point - when we describe ourselves as a member of one of these religions we effectively separate ourselves from the others. Whatever else a Jew is, he is not a Christian. A Catholic is not a Buddhist. A Muslim is not an Agnostic.
Such separations are, of course, not limited to religion. We have separated ourselves as Men and women. Blacks and whites. Americans and Chinese. Conservatives and Liberals. Those who like peppers on their nachos and those who don't. And yes - Buckeyes and Boilermakers.
And whatever the differences between our group and some other group may be, they are quickly expanded by differences that we ascribe, commonly without justification or evidence. Differences that make us comfortable being part of the group we are in and help us resist joining or even cooperating with another. Muslims are violent. Liberals are brain dead. Wolverines are arrogant, vapid, caca heads..
This separation into groups is cause for much of the misery in the world today. Muslim against Jew. Tootsie against Hutu. Black against white. And yes, Buckeye against Boilermaker.
Many of these confrontations - and particularly in the world of sports - are zero sum games. In team sports there is one winner and one loser. Whatever one group gains, the other loses. And often, by competing rather than cooperating everyone loses a little in the process.
A perfect world would be one in which we look past all of our differences and work together towards common goals. One need only look at our own congress of the past few administrations to see how lack of cooperation has forestalled progress in expanding the role of government to benefit the lives of all.
Why can't sports be more like the world of art? A well sung aria is judged on its own merits - not as part of a battle between two prima donnas. A great Pas de deux is simply that - enjoyed by all regardless of race, religion, or team colors.
If we look at it this way, when one team makes a great play - we can all share that play. When one team, scores, everybody scores. And when one team wins - we all win.
Much will be made in the sports pages and on ESPN about how OSU failed Saturday. Let it go. These folks are fixated on a distinction between two groups that has no real meaning.. They are blinded to the fact that great plays were made and touchdowns scored - and that who made those plays or scored those touchdowns is - in the broader picture - secondary.
I understand that this is foreign to our nature. But if you can embrace the idea then you can also see that there is no reason to hang our heads. The Buckeyes did not "lose". The world is not made of Buckeyes and Boilermakers - but of people. So if Purdue won the game - then we won the game too.
And we didn't just win.
We kicked our ass.
(Disclaimer: I wasn't sure if I would be writing any move of these "observations" but I was inspired this week by the contents of my mail box. Much to my surprise I have received this year's PulletSir Prize for Tongue-In-Cheek Sports Related Literature. I was at a loss at first. Then I learned that a private comment I had made in an email was being widely circulated. That comment - that "I can't stand stinky Bush" - has apparently been interpreted as political commentary rather than its intended expression of my personal philosophy regarding hygiene. Oh well, what can I do but try to live up to their expectations. After all, I did get 50 bucks and a free chicken dinner.)
"It's just football - get over yourself." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
"Be wary of those who do not like peppers on their nachos. They are cocksuckers." - Jiddu Krishnamurti
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