This is imperfect in so many ways, but is not intended to be so - only to provoke thoughts.
-DHP
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During this slow period each summer, I often wonder:
Is it REASONABLE that many of us should spend so much time, and effort, and emotion, over a think like Hawkeye sports? Shouldn't there be better things we could do with our life?
As one ages, I believe we spend a little bit more time thinking “what is this all about?” I won’t bother giving my opinion here, other than to say there have been many people a lot smarter than me who have spent a lot of time thinking about the meaning or purpose of life. There are many possible answers to this question both philosophical and religious, but 7 popular responses (if one is to trust Wikipedia) include:
1. To realize one's potential and ideals
2. To achieve biological perfection
3. To seek wisdom and knowledge
4. To do good, to do the right thing
5. Meanings relating to God / religion
6. To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living
7. To have power, to be better
In the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers appear to appeal to the 6th one above when stating that:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
I think we can all relate to this particular position – that “happiness” is one of life’s major objectives, even if it isn’t the only one. I might argue that it is the ultimate one, but that all of us get there in different ways, and that the things and events that evoke happiness in us change over time (ie: the “formula” for happiness differs by individual and is not fixed over time).
Many of you may be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which is a framework designed to illustrate how most people prioritize their behavior. It starts with the most basic, necessary needs and moves towards the more advanced, discretionary, higher level needs often depicted with a pyramid:
1. Physiological: Air, Food, Water, Clothing, Shelter
2. Safety: Personal, Financial, and Health needs
3. Love and belonging: Family, Friendship, Intimacy
4. Esteem: Status, Responsibility, Reputation
5. Cognitive: To understand things, knowledge, meaning, self-awareness
6. Aesthetic: Creativity, beauty, balance, form, symmetry
7. Self-actualization: Realization of One’s potential, Personal Growth, Self Fulfilment
8. Self-transcendence: Goals outside oneself – Altruism, Spirituality, helping others Self-Actualize
This is just another way to consider what we are really trying to achieve here.
So at this point you’re asking: “WTH does any of this have to do with Hawkeye sports?”
I guess I would like to think that being a fan of sports, and in particular being a Hawkeye fan, has a lot more value in society than may appear at first glance. Perhaps this is fueled by some subconscious desire to justify my investment, but I also believe there is something more.
Sports today are often attacked by certain groups who find it to be a superfluous, medieval level activity (especially football) that isn’t in line with today’s modern, compassionate agenda. But, when I stop to think about how many people care about Hawkeye (and Cyclone, and Panther, and Bulldog) sports, how deeply they care, and how much it spills over to family, friends and co-workers, it indicates to me that there has to be some underlying, deeper value to the activity.
See, Hawkeye sports in particular may not put food on your plate, a roof over your head or money in your pocket. But it definitely can deliver on the following:
· Love and belonging: Few things bond family & friends like sports can
· Esteem: Pride in your team, your culture, and your state creates a halo effect on you too
· Cognitive: For participants especially, but also fans, you can find a bit of yourself and life in sports
· Aesthetic: Athletics is just another form of performing arts, arguably the most popular form*
*One should be able to major in it, imo, if the sport has a professional league
· Self-Actualization: For the participants, this is very real
· Self-Transcendence: For a few donors who give for altruistic reasons, I suppose this is also possible
I don’t know about you, but it is odd how much I look forward to Iowa sporting events, how much emotion I can feel about them (both good and bad), and how much I enjoy experiencing them with others.
When your life is over, and you are gasping your last breath, you won’t be thinking about that Physics test you aced in college, or the project you completed at work, or the car you drove in retirement. You will be thinking about how well you did with the tools God/life gave you, the opportunities God/life presented you, and the happiness and joy that you experienced with and/or gave to others along the way. Memories are the currency between the living and the departed, and many of mine are stamped with a Tigerhawk, I'm glad to say.
Making money is just a means to an end, but in many respects participating or watching Hawkeye sports is the end itself: happiness, in its many shapes and forms.
I hope people in elevated positions within our state institutions who have an influence on the future of Iowa athletics realize that it’s not just a game, but rather an opportunity for many around the state (even those who will never go to college) to achieve a higher level need. Receiving a higher education will give students BETTER food, BETTER shelter, and a better many other things, but it will never on its own be able to bring so much, to so many, by so few, as Hawkeye sports can do.
-DHP
_____________________________________________________________________________________
During this slow period each summer, I often wonder:
Is it REASONABLE that many of us should spend so much time, and effort, and emotion, over a think like Hawkeye sports? Shouldn't there be better things we could do with our life?
As one ages, I believe we spend a little bit more time thinking “what is this all about?” I won’t bother giving my opinion here, other than to say there have been many people a lot smarter than me who have spent a lot of time thinking about the meaning or purpose of life. There are many possible answers to this question both philosophical and religious, but 7 popular responses (if one is to trust Wikipedia) include:
1. To realize one's potential and ideals
2. To achieve biological perfection
3. To seek wisdom and knowledge
4. To do good, to do the right thing
5. Meanings relating to God / religion
6. To love, to feel, to enjoy the act of living
7. To have power, to be better
In the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers appear to appeal to the 6th one above when stating that:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
I think we can all relate to this particular position – that “happiness” is one of life’s major objectives, even if it isn’t the only one. I might argue that it is the ultimate one, but that all of us get there in different ways, and that the things and events that evoke happiness in us change over time (ie: the “formula” for happiness differs by individual and is not fixed over time).
Many of you may be familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which is a framework designed to illustrate how most people prioritize their behavior. It starts with the most basic, necessary needs and moves towards the more advanced, discretionary, higher level needs often depicted with a pyramid:
1. Physiological: Air, Food, Water, Clothing, Shelter
2. Safety: Personal, Financial, and Health needs
3. Love and belonging: Family, Friendship, Intimacy
4. Esteem: Status, Responsibility, Reputation
5. Cognitive: To understand things, knowledge, meaning, self-awareness
6. Aesthetic: Creativity, beauty, balance, form, symmetry
7. Self-actualization: Realization of One’s potential, Personal Growth, Self Fulfilment
8. Self-transcendence: Goals outside oneself – Altruism, Spirituality, helping others Self-Actualize
This is just another way to consider what we are really trying to achieve here.
So at this point you’re asking: “WTH does any of this have to do with Hawkeye sports?”
I guess I would like to think that being a fan of sports, and in particular being a Hawkeye fan, has a lot more value in society than may appear at first glance. Perhaps this is fueled by some subconscious desire to justify my investment, but I also believe there is something more.
Sports today are often attacked by certain groups who find it to be a superfluous, medieval level activity (especially football) that isn’t in line with today’s modern, compassionate agenda. But, when I stop to think about how many people care about Hawkeye (and Cyclone, and Panther, and Bulldog) sports, how deeply they care, and how much it spills over to family, friends and co-workers, it indicates to me that there has to be some underlying, deeper value to the activity.
See, Hawkeye sports in particular may not put food on your plate, a roof over your head or money in your pocket. But it definitely can deliver on the following:
· Love and belonging: Few things bond family & friends like sports can
· Esteem: Pride in your team, your culture, and your state creates a halo effect on you too
· Cognitive: For participants especially, but also fans, you can find a bit of yourself and life in sports
· Aesthetic: Athletics is just another form of performing arts, arguably the most popular form*
*One should be able to major in it, imo, if the sport has a professional league
· Self-Actualization: For the participants, this is very real
· Self-Transcendence: For a few donors who give for altruistic reasons, I suppose this is also possible
I don’t know about you, but it is odd how much I look forward to Iowa sporting events, how much emotion I can feel about them (both good and bad), and how much I enjoy experiencing them with others.
When your life is over, and you are gasping your last breath, you won’t be thinking about that Physics test you aced in college, or the project you completed at work, or the car you drove in retirement. You will be thinking about how well you did with the tools God/life gave you, the opportunities God/life presented you, and the happiness and joy that you experienced with and/or gave to others along the way. Memories are the currency between the living and the departed, and many of mine are stamped with a Tigerhawk, I'm glad to say.
Making money is just a means to an end, but in many respects participating or watching Hawkeye sports is the end itself: happiness, in its many shapes and forms.
I hope people in elevated positions within our state institutions who have an influence on the future of Iowa athletics realize that it’s not just a game, but rather an opportunity for many around the state (even those who will never go to college) to achieve a higher level need. Receiving a higher education will give students BETTER food, BETTER shelter, and a better many other things, but it will never on its own be able to bring so much, to so many, by so few, as Hawkeye sports can do.
