Sports occupy a significant place in the modern world because they unite millions of athletes, fans, managers, reporters, and others. It is a typical case that people associate professional sports with luxury and richness. It is so because the most famous athletes are among the wealthiest individuals in the world. In his chapter “The Last American Dream,” Robert Lipsyte (2018) addresses this state of affairs and shows that everything is more ambiguous than it appears. Thus, the present paper will assess Lipsyte’s perspective and comment on why sports matter to everyone.
In the beginning, one should note that the author challenges the idea that athletes only witness the advantages of their careers. Lipsyte (2018) uses the example of Cleon Jones to demonstrate that athletes are sometimes forced to ignore their own dignity to stay afloat. It refers to Jones’s public whipping after he was found asleep with a young woman who “had a marijuana cigarette in her purse” (Lipsyte, 2018, p. 250). Simultaneously, it would be an exaggeration to state that athletes are their clubs’ slaves since they have to follow management orders. Individuals who earn millions of dollars do not receive compassion. I agree with Lipsyte’s argument that being a professional athlete implies both benefits and drawbacks. These individuals should work hard to become a player of a particular team, while even greater efforts are necessary to keep occupying this place.
Furthermore, it is reasonable to emphasize that the writer’s perspective has appeared to be prophetic. Even though the book SportsWorld: An American Dreamland was originally written in 1976, its author managed to predict sports’ future. It relates to the idea that “all the old sports will retreat into cults” (Lipsyte, 2018, p. 254). Modern events prove this claim because conflicts between fans of different clubs when individuals aggressively defend their beliefs are typical. In addition to that, no one can deny Lipsyte’s (2018) thought regarding the fact that “we will surely gamble on everything” (p. 255). Bookmakers are leading sponsors of many sporting events, which stimulates millions of people to bet.
However, the information above does not mean that the author’s intention is to show that sports only are an adverse phenomenon. That is why Lipsyte (2018) argues that unforgettable emotions and sensations make people watch sporting events. Even though sport’s joy is commercialized now, stadiums were and still remain the most suitable place for individuals to express themselves without fear of being judged. This opportunity is a great pleasure in the modern world because people are forced to meet numerous expectations in their offices. Consequently, sports and sporting events are significant because of the emotions that people experience from watching them. Simultaneously, it is impossible to overestimate the positive impact of sports activities on health.
In conclusion, Robert Lipsyte offers an exciting approach to sports and their role in society. The author mentions that it is not reasonable to make unambiguous judgments regarding athletes’ lives and careers. Lipsyte insists on the fact that being a professional athlete provides individuals with both advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore, this writer managed to forecast the future development of the sporting industry. It refers to the fact that he predicted the more incredible popularity of sports and the bookmakers’ dominating role in this sphere in 1976. Nevertheless, Lipsyte does not diminish the importance of sports, emphasizing that they provide individuals with multiple benefits.
Reference
Lipsyte, R. (2018). SportsWorld: An American dreamland. Rutgers University Press.