If you have TIVO or watch TV at all, you know it is possible to land on something utterly unpredictable.
Hence I found myself drawn into what turned out to be a very old airing of a Heavyweight Boxing Match, Peter vs. McCline. It became clear after only a few rounds that I just want everyone to win or have a preference for underdogs! Which do you favor – winners or losers? Top dogs or underdogs? Tell me more!
Hawaiian Word:
Lalo: under
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I am definitely an underdog defender. There is nothing I like better than to see the little guy with “no chance” knock off the big bad “you can’t beat me ” guy. Love it.
What an interesting topic. I think for me it depends on which competitor I relate to at the time… which competitor do I feel is more like me or more like what I would like to be. Does the competitor I’m rooting for have qualities I see in myself or do they have qualities that I respect and possibly wish I had? Does the competitor I’m rooting for at the time represent me in some way?
Something else I see is the hope of overcoming incredible odds and coming out a winner. Do we as a society/people/individuals feel oppressed? Do we see ourselves as the underdog? Do we see life as unfair and full of incredible challenges?
I guess the bigger question for me is “Why do I view them as an underdog in the first place?”
Good topic Rox!
mahalo
I tend to root for the underdog. I started doing this in the 7th grade when I decided I was no longer going to root for media darlings, the UNC tarheels, because everyone else was. Out of nowhwere, I picked the arch rival – NC State Wolfpack – as my team. From then, on I was a diehard Wolfpack fan. As a Wolfpack fan, we win some and lose more, 🙂 , but I love my team and my alma mater!
I am sure the armchair analysts are having fun with us on this past, but the more interesting issue is in @shawnotay’s closing comment. 🙂 Great question! Because “underdog” is so easily confused by outer appearances or by looking at a few of the facts instead of “all” of them, which is impossible.
I just thought it was funny how 1) I was watching boxing, 2) how I kept rotting for a different boxer. As I discovered by the end, I really do want everyone to win but that is not how sports works unless you take a win from the experience (as compared to the outcome).
You know, for a guy who spent all those years (22 to be exact) in a unit who’s motto is “De Oppresso Liber” (Latin for “Free the Oppressed”), I find that our desire for the competition goes a little deeper than that. Most of those sorts of competitive things don’t thrill me much anymore because I have a deeper understanding of people (as Rox is a student, so am I) . . . or at least a better understanding of my approach to understanding people (if that makes sense).
The attitude of our motto above is to help the oppressed, and the helpless. Most competitive “tragedies,” for me, don’t hold much drama – each of the competitors has put him/herself into that position of win/lose. The outcome is easy – the one who has trained the hardest, prepared the most diligently, takes the challenge the most seriously, and is more talented is favored to win. It should be no surprise when that happens. . . and if the underdog wins, why not?
In the motto, however, it differentiates between the willing participants and the innocent bystanders. So, the drawing of unwilling (untrained, uneducated, and unprepared as well) participants into any sort of conflict or dangerous situation irks me. A New York businessman “taking advantage” of some unschooled, uneducated person through slick advertising and false promises in advertising. . . that irks me. I can’t do much about that businessman approach. I can, however, help that unschooled, uneducated person become more aware of the tricks some people will attempt to win “the bottom line.”
There are some situations into which many of us are drawn into without the proper schooling, education, or preparation and if I do have the preparation, I feel some protectiveness toward those less prepared. It may not be so much the type of conflict or difficulty involved – it is more the “more skilled” taking advantage of the “less prepared.”
Interesting, how the term paternalism comes to mind… yet, in our culture, paternalism is a bad word reminding us of slavery and underhanded politics while maternalism brings thoughts of a caring, loving mother with patient understanding of young children. Interesting that many of our societal problems can be traced to fatherless homes and relationships – a simple lack of “paternalism,” which we tried so hard to eradicate all those years ago. Perhaps we’ve succeeded too well at it. . .
That’s my take on it all – intentions (deliberately or unwittingly) play a major role in the conflict… and may the “best” (prepared, trained, and most talented) competitor win.
Until that time. . . Earl J.
I recently sat and watched my first televised football game. I watched the entire Sugar Bowl because U of H was playing UGA. I live in Athens, GA and my husband and I rooted for Hawaii the entire game. My mother, in Louisiana, was watching too and we were telephoning and texting throughout the game.
They may have lost, but big admiration for U of H, who played their utmost throughout. I’m sure they were disappointed, but we all thought they showed a lot of class, sportsmanship and determination (unlike the UGA coach with that ‘kick em when they’re down’ challenge on a play).
We loved the ha’a, too!
@EarlJ – I think your point about intention aka “the energy” – is really germane. Helping others can come from many motivations as you have pointed out.
@Celeste – What a game to start with! Our team has had a great season – that bowl game was really a hard hit.