Blog V.V (5.5)

Question 1

“In a superglobal world, where many coastal twenty- to thirty- year-old urbanites don’t live down the street from our parents, have anything in common with our coworkers, or attend the same events as our neighbors, celebrity offers an adhesive that binds us together.”

Do you believe that celebrity binds society together? Do celebrities allow people to relate and interact with each other?

Short Response

Yes and Yes, respectively

Reasoned Response

Coming from a person who has learned to use sports as a conversation starter and as a kind of topic of last resort, I have to believe that if there is one thing that people have in common it is the knowledge of male athletes and professional sports teams. Think about how easy sports are to identity with for any person because:

1. Sports are based on geography so just living or being in a geographic area automatically qualifies a person to support or know about a sports team.

2. Sports almost inherently require some kind of spectacular event/circumstance that can impress most people just by watching. Think of touchdowns, soccer goals, and whatever people do in curling.

3. Athletes are attractive.

I'm sure there are more reasons that I could include as well, but I think the point is clear. Anyone, child to retiree, can probably talk about sports and it brings people together in person and on the internet. People relate to each other because they hate certain teams or people and the high five and chest bump when admired players score goals, catch TDs, or hit homers. I was sitting at a soccer game and started chatting with the guys next to me just because, hey, we could talk about the players on the field. Did I know his name, where he came from, or his political philosophy? No. Did that stop me from giving him a high-five after we scored a goal? No. I shook his hand after the game and said it was great talking to him. I think he understood why.