Volconvo is a debate forum for the discussion of political, religious, and news-based topics.

samsara15 · Apr 2, 2006, 09:33 pm

As the Marxists used to say, what keeps them queit while they're being screwed by the powers that be? Or is it still religion? Or do they the two factors work together to keep most people insensitive?

bugsbunny04 · Apr 2, 2006, 10:04 pm

Quote:

Quote by: samsara15

As the Marxists used to say, what keeps them queit while they're being screwed by the powers that be? Or is it still religion? Or do they the two factors work together to keep most people insensitive?

Sports, to a certain degree, can be a distraction to how dicked up shit is. On the other hand, when that game comes on Sunday afternoon you might be reminded that your town has dry sunday and get all pissed off, first at yourself for not saving some the night before, and at the city, for making you drive to Mississippi on a beer run (a two hour round trip from tuscaloosa) as soon as you get out of church.

Scribbler1 · Apr 2, 2006, 10:08 pm

Quote:

Quote by: samsara15

As the Marxists used to say, what keeps them queit while they're being screwed by the powers that be? Or is it still religion? Or do they the two factors work together to keep most people insensitive?

I'd say sports AND religion, except sports is more pervasive. And you don't see beer soaked parishioners, half naked and painted in team colors in church screaming "Je-SUS, Je-SUS!" at the top of their lungs.

G. Adams · Apr 2, 2006, 11:18 pm

Sports, religion, sex and consumerism, the finest tools devised for oppression. Who needs to have an army when the people are too busy watching the Superbowl, whining about their boyfriend, buying shoes and thinking this is all just a test of their faith to ever raise a harsh word against you. Our future isn't Big Brother, it's Brave New World.

phoenix_fire · Apr 3, 2006, 12:24 am

I said as much about sports in the Rome thread. Rome used the colosseums to distract people from a crumbling empire. I think that america uses entertainment in general. And in that vein, ladies and gentlemen, I have two words for you:

Reality TV.

tinybear · Apr 3, 2006, 12:26 am

Chat forums. Now these are the REAL opium of the people. :)

G. Adams · Apr 3, 2006, 01:21 am

Quote:

Quote by: tinybear

Chat forums. Now these are the REAL opium of the people. :)

We talk about issues on this board. Or at least some of us do. And the whole purpose of this mass distraction policy is to encourage not to talk about the real issues that affect us.

phoenix_fire · Apr 3, 2006, 01:52 am

Quote:

Quote by: G. Adams

We talk about issues on this board. Or at least some of us do. And the whole purpose of this mass distraction policy is to encourage not to talk about the real issues that affect us.

Nevertheless. One might consider that the two serve the same purpose. After all, by complaining about the system and the politicians who pretend to serve it, we feel as though we have accomplished something. We have given vent to our frustrations and often we end it there. We are given an outlet so that we won't actually do anything about what bothers us.

Milton Bradley · Apr 3, 2006, 08:21 am

Quote:

Quote by: phoenix_fire

I said as much about sports in the Rome thread. Rome used the colosseums to distract people from a crumbling empire. I think that america uses entertainment in general. And in that vein, ladies and gentlemen, I have two words for you:

Reality TV.

I'm with you here. I think that observation is spot on.

Reality TV is also generally much cheaper to produce, so don't expect this "art form" to go away any time soon.

I think G Adams summed it best, when he said...

Quote:

Quote by: G Adams

Sports, religion, sex and consumerism, the finest tools devised for oppression. Who needs to have an army when the people are too busy watching the Superbowl, whining about their boyfriend, buying shoes and thinking this is all just a test of their faith to ever raise a harsh word against you.

More, and more, it is becoming evident that people are just another classification of stupid animals looking for something shiny to put in their nest.

Boetie · Apr 3, 2006, 11:16 am

Man is no longer curious about the outside world or capable of aesthetic enjoyment. He has no time to wonder freely, no time to waste in wonderment and reflection.

Because he is to busy watching sports, being a toaster maker, and toaster buyer.

tinybear · Apr 3, 2006, 12:31 pm

I'm for anything which gives us a chance to vent our frustrations. It prevents us from committing murder.

Milton Bradley · Apr 3, 2006, 12:41 pm

Another question along the same lines.

Is baseball a particularly potent opiate being as it puts so many to sleep so quickly?

If you answered yes, then perhaps we can agree that it needs to be reclassified as a more potent substance, and regulated further, or perhaps even banned altogether?

tman_ndsu08 · Apr 3, 2006, 01:25 pm

You're either working or you're finding a way to entertain yourself.

Nothing wrong with entertainment.

Scribbler1 · Apr 3, 2006, 05:44 pm

Quote:

Quote by: tinybear

I'm for anything which gives us a chance to vent our frustrations. It prevents us from committing murder.

And it does absolutely NOTHING else! We vent our frustrations HERE too, but to a more construstive end than blowing a few hours watching some overpaid crybabies knock each other around for a few hours.

grandpa · Apr 4, 2006, 03:48 pm

I think sports are a meaningless distraction that people take way too seriously.

Grandpa h.

tman_ndsu08 · Apr 4, 2006, 04:27 pm

There's nothing else to do, other than work, than entertaining ourselves.

Once we can get robots to do everything for us, entertainment will be all we have left.

grandpa · Apr 4, 2006, 05:25 pm

Quote:

Quote by: tman_ndsu08

There's nothing else to do, other than work, than entertaining ourselves.
Once we can get robots to do everything for us, entertainment will be all we have left.

Robots or sweatshop workers, that is.

Grandpa h.

tman_ndsu08 · Apr 4, 2006, 05:32 pm

Regardless, entertainment is a main component of life.

underbear1 · Apr 4, 2006, 05:50 pm

Sports may do it for some folks, they do NOTHING for me.
It's not just the difference between gay and straights having no interest in sports, a good friend writes a sports column and he is queer as a three dollar bill, and the vast majority of lesbians love sports.

Scribbler1 · Apr 4, 2006, 09:32 pm

Quote:

Quote by: grandpa

I think sports are a meaningless distraction that people take way too seriously.

Grandpa h.

The absolutely BIGGEST bitch I have about sports is when people start yelling "we're number one" or "we won" when a team wins something. Of course, they DID do something. They sat on their asses and watched.

Pisses me off.

Apr 2, 2006, 09:33 pm	#1 (permalink) (top)
samsara15 Ch Latour 61 Location: Maryland Posts: 638	Are sports the opium of the people? As the Marxists used to say, what keeps them queit while they're being screwed by the powers that be? Or is it still religion? Or do they the two factors work together to keep most people insensitive?

Apr 2, 2006, 11:18 pm	#4 (permalink) (top)
G. Adams Fyrdman Location: Middlesbrough UK Posts: 4,152	Sports, religion, sex and consumerism, the finest tools devised for oppression. Who needs to have an army when the people are too busy watching the Superbowl, whining about their boyfriend, buying shoes and thinking this is all just a test of their faith to ever raise a harsh word against you. Our future isn't Big Brother, it's Brave New World. Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill

Apr 3, 2006, 12:24 am	#5 (permalink) (top)
phoenix_fire Paladin Location: Narnia Posts: 4,277	I said as much about sports in the Rome thread. Rome used the colosseums to distract people from a crumbling empire. I think that america uses entertainment in general. And in that vein, ladies and gentlemen, I have two words for you: Reality TV. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. -- Song 8:6

Apr 3, 2006, 12:26 am	#6 (permalink) (top)
tinybear Volcanic Erupter Location: Hong Kong (for now) Posts: 7,008	Chat forums. Now these are the REAL opium of the people. :)

Apr 3, 2006, 11:16 am	#10 (permalink) (top)
Boetie Hot Lava Posts: 1,227	Man is no longer curious about the outside world or capable of aesthetic enjoyment. He has no time to wonder freely, no time to waste in wonderment and reflection. Because he is to busy watching sports, being a toaster maker, and toaster buyer.

Apr 3, 2006, 12:31 pm	#11 (permalink) (top)
tinybear Volcanic Erupter Location: Hong Kong (for now) Posts: 7,008	I'm for anything which gives us a chance to vent our frustrations. It prevents us from committing murder.

Apr 3, 2006, 12:41 pm	#12 (permalink) (top)
Milton Bradley BANNED Location: Ohio Province, Rep. of Comerica Posts: 7,320	Another question along the same lines. Is baseball a particularly potent opiate being as it puts so many to sleep so quickly? If you answered yes, then perhaps we can agree that it needs to be reclassified as a more potent substance, and regulated further, or perhaps even banned altogether?

Apr 3, 2006, 01:25 pm	#13 (permalink) (top)
tman_ndsu08 BANNED Posts: 5,021	You're either working or you're finding a way to entertain yourself. Nothing wrong with entertainment.

Apr 4, 2006, 03:48 pm	#15 (permalink) (top)
grandpa blasphemer Location: Michigan Posts: 7,361	I think sports are a meaningless distraction that people take way too seriously. Grandpa h.

Apr 4, 2006, 04:27 pm	#16 (permalink) (top)
tman_ndsu08 BANNED Posts: 5,021	There's nothing else to do, other than work, than entertaining ourselves. Once we can get robots to do everything for us, entertainment will be all we have left.

Apr 4, 2006, 05:32 pm	#18 (permalink) (top)
tman_ndsu08 BANNED Posts: 5,021	Regardless, entertainment is a main component of life.

Apr 4, 2006, 05:50 pm	#19 (permalink) (top)
underbear1 BANNED Posts: 2,630	Sports may do it for some folks, they do NOTHING for me. It's not just the difference between gay and straights having no interest in sports, a good friend writes a sports column and he is queer as a three dollar bill, and the vast majority of lesbians love sports.