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[Blackace]

Well not to be a dick to others but sports are very trivial. Science, politics, those are things that are important. Those are things that change the world as they have tremendous effect on them.

Sports are merely a hobby of intense athleticism.

But in terms of it being "silly", well define "silly". This is a video game forum. Many people out there consider games as children's toys. Are we silly for being so into them?

I can't imagine anybody having a reasonable opinion who thinks anything else.

a hobby is an important outlet... "merely" a hobby is poor wording for something that is important for a person's health...

 

[NIN90]

But, to be fair to the wife, the husband did agree to marry on the weekend of the Superbowl. If he had any foresight, he could've asked to push it a weekend in either direction, correct?

This situation does not fall entirely on the wife because she was not the only one involved in making the decision.

"Sweetie, let's postpone this wedding because Superbowl will be on!"

"..."

"What you mean you moving out?"

 

[Dresden]

"Sweetie, let's postpone this wedding because Superbowl will be on!"

"..."

"What you mean you moving out?"

may as well get it done before the actual marriage. If two people can't learn to give-and-take about stuff like this, they should just call it quits while they're ahead.

 

[Blackace]

"Sweetie, let's postpone this wedding because Superbowl will be on!"

"..."

"What you mean you moving out?"

don't forget your coat!

 

[soultron]

You must have missed the squabbles I just had calling him a dumbass.

There's so much going on in this thread that I'm having trouble following everything everyone's saying, I'll admit. My apologies.

 

[soultron]

"Sweetie, let's postpone this wedding because Superbowl will be on!"

"..."

"What you mean you moving out?"

I know you're joking, but I'd imagine the conversation being much longer than that.

And why pussyfoot around it? Just tell your wife-to-be that it's related to your job and that you might be involved in photographing the event so that it'd be better to place it on a weekend that doesn't revolve around to avoid the eventual disappointment when he does get called up to attend the SB. If your wife is an understanding, considerate, and loving, I'm sure she'd have no problem.

But it sounds like this guy didn't argue his case before they set the date.

 

[MidgarBlowedUp]

She sounds white.

 

[SoulPlaya]

She sounds white.

Well, duh!

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

a hobby is an important outlet... "merely" a hobby is poor wording for something that is important for a person's health...

You're missing the point. I'm not saying "people shouldn't have hobbies other than science, politics, (or possibly arts). What I am saying is that sports do not come close to having an importance as those things I've listed. Democracy, electricity, or Michael Phelps? Which is more important to society?

You want to love sports fine? Just like its fine to like videogames. But as long as people accept that these things aren't the most important things in the world. People tend to get annoyed that people are obsessed with their sports team to the point of fighting yet have no idea who their senators are or don't care about the nation's education crisis.

 

[soultron]

She sounds white.

No, she sounds like she's just really snarky and trying to say, "Look at how I own my husband."

 

[G-Fex]

big whoop, I missed important streaming events and PPV's.

 

[etiolate]

Sports represent an important symbolism. They stand as a statement of the society. There are trivial elements, but I find it strange to compare them to politics. Politics is often just a sport of manipulating people, but in that way, it is a sport that actually harms the people. Football or baseball being "trivial" in that they are harmless is a good thing. It is not truly trivial though, as centuries away from each of our lives, people will read sports and other major hobbies of today as symbols of ourselves in ways we don't currently ponder them to be.

I type as Madonna parades in gold, lip-synching to vogue.

 

[Darkman M]

She sounds white.

I don't know why, but this post amused me.

 

[Blackace]

You're missing the point. I'm not saying "people shouldn't have hobbies other than science, politics, (or possibly arts). What I am saying is that sports do not come close to having an importance as those things I've listed. Democracy, electricity, or Michael Phelps? Which is more important to society?

You want to love sports fine? Just like its fine to like videogames. But as long as people accept that these things aren't the most important things in the world. People tend to get annoyed that people are obsessed with their sports team to the point of fighting yet have no idea who their senators are or don't care about the nation's education crisis.

I don't think most people feel their hobby is the most important thing in the world but it is an escape from the real world for a few hours..

At this point entertainment is very important to socitey... Again, saying to anyone "xxxx is merely a hobby" is down playing the importance it holds for that person... sure the Mariners aren't as important as Democracy... but you can't always sit around and think about Democracy..

 

[jett]

Yeah this woman seems to be quite insane. I give the marriage a few more years.

 

[Amory]

She sounds like a self centered bitch, to be honest. But then again, this is pretty much standard fare for the huffington post.

If he's someone who really wants to watch the game, it's Sunday, couldn't they have spent the day together or something?

Big props to her for taking out the dog in the morning though...

 

[WanderingWind]

You're missing the point. I'm not saying "people shouldn't have hobbies other than science, politics, (or possibly arts). What I am saying is that sports do not come close to having an importance as those things I've listed. Democracy, electricity, or Michael Phelps? Which is more important to society?

You want to love sports fine? Just like its fine to like videogames. But as long as people accept that these things aren't the most important things in the world. People tend to get annoyed that people are obsessed with their sports team to the point of fighting yet have no idea who their senators are or don't care about the nation's education crisis.

Yeah, but that was never the point of contention. Opiate stated sports were meaningless, and that he thought GAF was above such silliness, but he guessed not. Of course, forgetting this is a video game forum and pursuits of non-scientific pursuits are sort of the forte around these parts. His position has changed since then, likely as a result of the deluge of people pointing this out. His new position, as you have framed it, isn't unreasonable at all.

 

[NervousXtian]

Well, hopefully he started dinner before terrible HT show.. but game has been not so bad... hope he's eating some good food.

 

[Opiate]

a hobby is an important outlet... "merely" a hobby is poor wording for something that is important for a person's health...

I would compare this to the placebo effect. Many "quack" medical practitioners will site the placebo effect as evidence for their position; because it makes people feel better subjectively, it's valid.

However, the problem is that actual medicine can also produce the placebo affect, and can make people feel better, subjectively. In addition, it has a real, objective medical effect.

Similarly, literally anything can be a "hobby." A hobby can be watching basketball, but it can also be exploring quantum physics and its effects on the world, or engaging in regular rigorous exercise. These latter hobbies would also provide whatever empirical benefits accrue from having a "hobby," while simultaneously providing objectively valuable functions that most would consider beneficial.

I don't think most people feel their hobby is the most important thing in the world but it is an escape from the real world for a few hours..

What value does escapism have? I assumed when you mentioned hobbies having benefits you were discussing relaxation, which has been shown to have objectively valuable benefits in terms of stress management. But escapism, in itself, has no inherent benefits, from any research I've seen. Can you provide a link to a study?

At this point entertainment is very important to socitey... Again, saying to anyone "xxxx is merely a hobby" is down playing the importance it holds for that person... sure the Mariners aren't as important as Democracy... but you can't always sit around and think about Democracy..

Why not? I'm assuming we're using "thinking about Democracy" as a metonymy for "critical thinking" more broadly. Honest question.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

It just seems like a reasonable compromise. He gives up watching the superbowl live every few years, she had to give up somebody that she likes.

This is one of the reasons I'm glad that I never got into watching sports. However, I would have the same opinion if your anniversary falls during the date of release of your favorite game or something.

 

[Blackace]

I would compare this to the placebo effect. Many "quack" medical practitioners will site the placebo effect as evidence for their position; because it makes people feel better subjectively, it's valid.

However, the problem is that actual medicine can also produce the placebo affect, and can make people feel better, subjectively. In addition, it has a real, objective medical effect.

Similarly, literally anything can be a "hobby." A hobby can be watching basketball, but it can also be exploring quantum physics and its effects on the world, or engaging in regular rigorous exercise. These latter hobbies would also provide whatever empirical benefits accrue from having a "hobby," while simultaneously providing objectively valuable functions that most would consider beneficial.

So instead of watching basketball to feel better we should pop pills! Perfect! lol


Sure we could be researching a way to cure AIDs, or cancer instead of posting on GAF but you know that it isn't realistic for the masses to produce for the society like that. Happy people work and play with each other better.. so I would say entertainment has a very tangable effect on the socitey as a whole..

 

[WanderingWind]

I would compare this to the placebo effect. Many "quack" medical practitioners will site the placebo effect as evidence for their position; because it makes people feel better subjectively, it's valid.

However, the problem is that actual medicine can also produce the placebo affect, and can make people feel better, subjectively. In addition, it has a real, objective medical effect.

Similarly, literally anything can be a "hobby." A hobby can be watching basketball, but it can also be exploring quantum physics and its effects on the world, or engaging in regular rigorous exercise. These latter hobbies would also provide whatever empirical benefits accrue from having a "hobby," while simultaneously providing objectively valuable functions that most would consider beneficial.



What value does escapism have? I assumed when you mentioned hobbies having benefits you were discussing relaxation, which has been shown to have objectively valuable benefits in terms of stress management. But escapism, in itself, has no inherent benefits, from any research I've seen. Can you provide a link to a study?



Why not? Honest question.

You don't, or you wouldn't be here, and wouldn't be a mod. How are you this unaware than you are no different than other human beings? If you have interests outside of scientific progress, why shouldn't anybody else?

 

[Blackace]

Why not? I'm assuming we're using "thinking about Democracy" as a metonymy for "critical thinking" more broadly. Honest question.

Because just like anything you are going to need a break.. then what do you do?

Nope... nothing meaningless..

Hobbies are an important outlet that do allow people to relax without the aid of medicine..

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

You don't, or you wouldn't be here, and wouldn't be a mod. How are you this unaware than you are no different than other human beings? If you have interests outside of scientific progress, why shouldn't anybody else?

I think he's talking about giving your hobbies higher priority than your responsibilities.

 

[Devolution]

What value does escapism have? I assumed when you mentioned hobbies having benefits you were discussing relaxation, which has been shown to have objectively valuable benefits in terms of stress management. But escapism, in itself, has no inherent benefits, from any research I've seen. Can you provide a link to a study?.

There's plenty of creative benefit from escapism. I don't know how you'd give it a metric though.

 

[Kosmo]

This thread has now devolved into a discussion on studies of escapism (links, please?).

The only relevant points are that this woman reasonably had 96+ hours in which she could have celebrated the anniversary (2 days before and after) and instead she scheduled it right in the middle of the 4 hours she knows her husband would want to do something else simply so she can prove to herself that he loves her.

She's an egomaniac.

 

[gutter_trash]

it's Giants and Patriots, nobody cares about them so the wife is right

 

[Blackace]

I think he's talking about giving your hobbies higher priority than your responsibilities.

But even being married would be minor compared to medicine..

 

[WanderingWind]

I think he's talking about giving your hobbies higher priority than your responsibilities.

That's not what he said. He clearly asked why one couldn't sit around and think about Democracy (an obvious stand in for pursuit of endeavors that require only a certain level of critical thinking and progress). The answer is obvious.

 

[ReBurn]

This thread has now devolved into a discussion on studies of escapism (links, please?).

The only relevant points are that this woman reasonably had 96+ hours in which she could have celebrated the anniversary (2 days before and after) and instead she scheduled it right in the middle of the 4 hours she knows her husband would want to do something else simply so she can prove to herself that he loves her.

She's an egomaniac.

She also has no respect for him considering she wrote this article about it. It's one thing to emasculate him, albeit it doesn't seem like he put up a fight. It's another thing entirely to blog to the world about it. I can guarantee you that had I been her husband she most certainly would have been having that dinner alone.

 

[Amory]

I understand that this is just our first anniversary and there will be many more, but to me, this is a milestone worth celebrating. Just ask Kim Kardashian. Josh and I both agree that marriage is about compromise and wanting to make each other happy. (Gwyneth Paltrow agrees too, as we learned this week.) In Josh's ideal world, we would watch the game while enjoying pizza and beer with our buddies. In mine, we would watch no football and do what many women apparently would prefer to do on Super Bowl Sunday. But he wanted me to be happy so he agreed to our dinner reservation. And I wanted to make him happy so I agreed to get to the restaurant early and watch the game for 90 minutes at the bar. Besides, the black leather dress I plan on wearing Sunday night trumps Giants uniform spandex any day of the week.

I don't even give a shit about the super bowl unless my team is in it, case in point I'm pretty much the only person in my department at work right now, but this paragraph makes me want to punch things. Specifically the bolded.

 

[Al-ibn Kermit]

This thread has now devolved into a discussion on studies of escapism (links, please?).

The only relevant points are that this woman reasonably had 96+ hours in which she could have celebrated the anniversary (2 days before and after) and instead she scheduled it right in the middle of the 4 hours she knows her husband would want to do something else simply so she can prove to herself that he loves her.

She's an egomaniac.

To be fair, his team isn't even in the superbowl. She made the deal that they would in fact celebrate their anniversary the day before if the Texans were playing.

 

[Opiate]

You don't, or you wouldn't be here, and wouldn't be a mod. How are you this unaware than you are no different than other human beings? If you have interests outside of scientific progress, why shouldn't anybody else?

I'm not sure I understand. I have explicitly stated in this thread that I Have interests outside of scientific progress. How does this relate to my position?

Because just like anything you are going to need a break.. then what do you do?

Nope... nothing meaningless..

Hobbies are an important outlet that do allow people to relax without the aid of medicine..

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

 

[WanderingWind]

I'm not sure I understand. I have explicitly stated in this thread that I Have interests outside of scientific progress. How does this relate to my position?



But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

Your own second question answers your first. How...how do you not see this?

 

[Kosmo]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

Who's to judge what hobbies are productive? I golf - is that unproductive? How about that it is a great trainer in decision making?

 

[tuna on toast]

Well not to be a dick to others but sports are insignificant. Science, politics, those are things that are important.

Politics can give us democracy and freedom. Science gave us medicine.

Thanks to politics and science, I'm free and healthy. Now what do I want? I want something fun and entertaining - something "insignificant".

Doctor cures someone's disease. Cured person spends life watching football and accomplishing nothing.

Scientists discover new galaxies and ways to travel there. Then what?

Everything leads to something that isn't really important.

 

[Blackace]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

Exercise isn't productive for society... it is for the person, just like art or photography might be..

But even if they are in the gym they have escaped from their "duties" of making society better..

 

[Adam Blade]

I'm curious as to what Opiate does for a living.

 

[Devolution]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

Do you enjoy movies?

 

[Herpes Reasons]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

are you really defining and setting the parameters on what a hobby is for an individual?
who are you to tell question someone else's hobby?

 

[Blackace]

are you really defining and setting the parameters on what a hobby is for an individual?
who are you to tell question someone else's hobby?

let's not go all defensive here... he is stating his opinion...he could counter with a "who are you to tell me my opinion..." but that gets us nowhere

 

[Trent Strong]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

The point of a hobby is fun and enjoyment. I don't find most things that society considers productive, like exercise, to be fun.

 

[dream]

But why does that hobby have to be something unproductive, like escapism? For example, why can't your hobby be exercise?

Well, escapism is a great stress reliever. What you dismiss as unproductive is what likely keeps someone staying productive.

 

[WanderingWind]

Wrong thread

 

[LuCkymoON]

I wonder what she will do when he will have to cover the Superbowl.

 

[Herpes Reasons]

Do you enjoy movies?

movies aren't unproductive.
depending on the movie, the brain will release endorphins that can create a state of well being...very similar to opiate. a state of well being can potentially create a better work production, for example.

let's not go all defensive here... he is stating his opinion...he could counter with a "who are you to tell me my opinion..." but that gets us nowhere

im not being defensive, im just asking how somehow can find any reasoning behind to question other people's motives on their hobbies of choice.

 

[Blackace]

im not being defensive, im just asking how somehow can find any reasoning behind to question other people's motives on their hobbies of choice.

Sorry!

It wasn't aimed at only you... had a few other comments like that as well.

 

[Devolution]

movies aren't unproductive.
depending on the movie, the brain will release endorphins that can create a state of well being...very similar to opiate. a state of well being can potentially create a better work production, for example.

They're escapism. Also I find this whole discussion flawed anyway, there is bonding, there is discussion, there is social interaction all centered around "escapist" entertainment like Sports. To say it lacks benefits is bullshit. "Games" and "entertainment" have long served as bonding mechanisms among peoples.

 

[ReBurn]

I wonder what she will do when he will have to cover the Superbowl.

My guess is she will blog about it.

 

[Blackace]

They're escapism. Also I find this whole discussion flawed anyway, there is bonding, there is discussion, there is social interaction all centered around "escapist" entertainment like Sports. To say it lacks benefits is bullshit. "Games" and "entertainment" have long served as bonding mechanisms among peoples.

In a world where people live on top of each other "escapist" outlets have a value to society I believe...