There have been two attempts in the early 2000’s to instrumentalise sport. The first was to turn competitive sport into a vehicle for improving health. The second was to modify competitive sport so that it enhanced self esteem.
The health push led to an odd form of Cultural Quantitative easing. People would do loads of marathons, join gyms and raise money for charity. All good in themselves but they didn’t replace competition - sporting competition spontaneously produces meaning.
The self esteem invasion was far less successful and left no legacy. An exception would be the discussion about mental health in professional athletes. When it came to this ethos creeping into children’s sport it was short lived and created a very welcome reaction. Parents hated it. To this day the era of ‘everyone’s a winner’ is treated as an appalling and comic anachronism. Kids are pouring into competitive sport (Spiked article to come!). So are adults.
I hope this will act as solace for the Spurs fans. When you try and mess with competitive sport you lose.
Some excellent points -- I or someone else should write am essay on it.
There have been two attempts in the early 2000’s to instrumentalise sport. The first was to turn competitive sport into a vehicle for improving health. The second was to modify competitive sport so that it enhanced self esteem.
The health push led to an odd form of Cultural Quantitative easing. People would do loads of marathons, join gyms and raise money for charity. All good in themselves but they didn’t replace competition - sporting competition spontaneously produces meaning.
The self esteem invasion was far less successful and left no legacy. An exception would be the discussion about mental health in professional athletes. When it came to this ethos creeping into children’s sport it was short lived and created a very welcome reaction. Parents hated it. To this day the era of ‘everyone’s a winner’ is treated as an appalling and comic anachronism. Kids are pouring into competitive sport (Spiked article to come!). So are adults.
I hope this will act as solace for the Spurs fans. When you try and mess with competitive sport you lose.