Saturday night/Sunday morning, I partied at an indoor soccer arena for six hours with 71 other crazy people. We were all there for the "Everything's up too late in Kansas City," Ultimate Frisbee tournament. The action, laughter, food and music was nonstop, and even though it was painful to walk the next day (I had also moved Saturday morning), it was well worth it.
To kick off (pull off?) the evening, we checked in and they handed us each a headband, the color of which indicated the team. My headband was yellow, so I looked around the room for fellow yellow headbanders. It didn't really matter to me who they were, since I only knew one other person there. My team was inevitably going to be all new friends.
We yellows found one another. Our first game was against the blue people. So, along with the rest of my teammates, I cheered for every good play and point our team made, gave them high fives when appropriate, and felt a little disappointment at dropped discs.
Why was I so emotionally invested in this small group of strangers? Because someone had arbitrarily handed me a yellow headband? (alright, not completely arbitrary. There was method behind the team selection) It struck me that night that often our loyalties and emotional investments in real life are just that arbitrary.
Why are you proud of your country? Because you were born there.
Why do you love your family? Because you were born into it.
Why do you cheer for your school? Because it's your school, and it's your school because you live in its district.
Why do you hate that race? Why do you dislike that music? Why do you lock your gates? Why do you go to that church? Why do you avoid that part of town? Why do you kill that stranger?
Fortunately Ultimate, much like curling, is a game that is all about sportsmanship, so no one was upset at a loss, no fights or arguments broke out. People were just there to play and have fun.
But what about our other arbitrary loyalties? How safe and healthy are they?
2 comments:
This is one reason I love the internet. If someone offends you, there is a good chance they will listen to your issue, and either apologize, or defend their position.
Except for cowardy anonymous posters.
I also love that many have connected and found kindred spirits even for the oddest of pastimes or philosophies. Maybe as many odd behaviors become more tolerated, boundaries will fall.
I talk with Russians in a special kind of intrest blog. We get along pretty well, and even help each other out.
Stich,
Russians are coming :o) - beware!
One of the things about anonymous trolls is that they "derive" their special powers and superiority complex out of anonimity. Most people have hard time offending you in your face - we are just too nice for it. I think Satan/Flying Spaghetti Monster has designed us "intelligently" that way and evolution took it from there.
Russian Igor/IGGY
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