I have been watching the Olympic Games. My favorites are swimming, Gymnastics and some track and fields, but the TV broadcast the Olympic Games as a package so I have seem many other sports.
Today's highlight was women's soccer final, USA vs Japan. Since I'm from Japan and living in the US, in theory either one wins, I win (haha). I was wondering how I'd react. I thought I might be very neutral, like last night's Beach Volleyball final, which was US vs US somehow.
It turned out I was more on "bummed" side by the US victory. I guess I was more Japanese at least when I was watching the soccer game.
Watching sports is fun. Sometimes I just enjoy the beauty of the sport as an art form. I don't care where Usain Bolt is coming from (Jamaica, in case you are wondering). It is thrilling to watch him run super fast. I don't really care where they come from when the athletes show something incredible, whatever it is. Synchronized swimming for example, is not something I see every day. But it is amazing. Really. And it doesn't matter to me which team wins.
But in some other cases, it comes down to result. One wins and another (or others) lose(s). Even though the Olympic spirits state "participation is more important than result", it can be easily forgotten. I'm sure many of us have been guilty of "Yeah, we won, they suck" mentality, myself included.
What makes the difference between the two, "love for the sport" or "love for the nation (us)"??
It seems my response is very context-dependent and flips-flops. Even if Team China wins over Team USA in a sport, if their art is convincingly good, I'd applause to Team China. I haven't invested much emotionally for Team USA for the particular sport. I have not "picked a side" for the sport.
Yes, the key words are "pick a side". If I don't pick a side, strangely I can enjoy more of the art/sport itself. "Us or them" is fun and add adrenalin to the game. Certainly it is one way to watch sport. "Wow, look at that exquisite play. Forget about where they are from" is another.
Either one way of viewing can work. It's not a matter of right or wrong. I'd be just amused by my own reaction and my own (subconscious) choice for the mode of viewing.
