Law in Contemporary Society

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RobertCorp-SecondPaper 3 - 11 May 2008 - Main.EbenMoglen
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 There have been dramatic changes regarding the prevalence and importance of sports in American society since Veblen. His insight remains instructive in recognizing the utility, or lack thereof, of sports. Veblen hypothesized that the mentality of the middle-class precluded it from interest in athletics. Changes in social dynamics have resulted in the increased popularity of sports. The Veblen insight allows a unique perspective. Sports ultimately do not contribute to the economic well being of the society, and for that reason they fit Veblen’s characterization of human irrationality. The proliferation of sports has only resulted in more wasteful activity. Over 100 years later, sports remain a mechanism that induces emulation, in a more complicated and diverse way than Veblen could have imagined.
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  • It seems to me that this is a beginning, but that you need to consider shifting focus a bit. Obviously we are not living in 1899, so rather than trying to compress Veblen's social observations into adjacency with current social conditions, if you want to write on this subject the better way is to show how pecuniary competition has shaped the details of our current sports culture. The obvious point, unmentioned here, has to do with the money culture of professional sports, including the salaries and the media culture of complaint about salaries. The "sports bar" and "fan radio" elements might be worth looking at, as might the ESPN/Disney structure, or the militarization of our games in the course of the 20th century, particularly the development of US football, and the unique role played by sport in the maintenance of white supremacy.
 

 
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