Sport vs The Arts

Maybe this won't be the profound entry I'd envisioned. It's pretty simple, actually - most people like one or the other, but not both. The Arts appeal to one's intellect and sense of freedom. Sport is obviously very visceral, and not that intellectual. For me, the appeal of sports I enjoy is in how they bring order (your team scoring) to chaos (the other team trying to stop them) through physical strength and force of will. I like Sport and The Arts because I crave a balance of Order and Chaos.

In a way, watching a sporting event is like playing a slot machine. You pay money (or watch commercials), then sit back and see who wins. This may sound dumb, but look how many people enjoy sitting in front of slot machines waiting to see if sevens or cherries come up. I think the appeal of the two is very similar, and they are both addictive. Gambling can rob you of a lot of money, but watching sports really just costs spare time, and seems less likely to divert one's attention and resources from critical things. I won't win any money by watching sports, but I enjoy seeing impressive displays of athletic skill. That's the other part of the payback I guess.

"The Arts" is a broad concept. I'm talking primarily about music. Unlike sports, this is something I know how to do, and am good at - whether it be playing or simply appreciating. It's not so much a diversion to give me kicks in my spare time. As I've said before, it's like building forts in the woods when you're a little kid. I built quite a few in my day, and the appeal for me was identical to that of being in a band. When you go to someone else's show you're hanging out in their shitty homemade fort, which is almost as cool as having them over to yours. We like to look at each other's forts and absorb pointers on how to make the our next one. We're not architects. We're kids with vision and axes.

I wanted to say more, but those last two sentences sounded too cool not to end with.