Well, my ass is intact and I've made it to my final destination here in the UK. I've been blessed with gorgeous weather the last few days that has made riding here very enjoyable. I've checked into my room here at the U of P (in Pilgrim House - kinda like the connection to the US) and I'm settled into my accomodations for the next month. I am disappointed that my Skype connection is down at the moment - hopefully someone will help me to get the right proxy settings while I am using this internet connection.
I headed out today to enjoy the weather and to get adaptors for my electronic gear. I need a special fused adaptor so that the techno-nerds here at U of P will 'allow' me to use their electrical outlets. So in search of my needed plugs, I headed down to the shopping center of Plymouth to everyone's favorite electronics store - Curry's.
I got my stuff in less than 45 seconds and was out the door. I started walking around and found that the tennis crazy Brits had set up a giant screen in the main area for those of us who do not have TV to watch. The crowd was relatively thin when I was there but it gradually grew. National hero Tim Henman was playing and as the people got off work and started heading home, they got sucked into a good match. Tim would later go on to lose the match in 5 sets, losing the last set 7-5.
But what really got me was the fact that people were cheering the TV. WHY? Why do people cheer for a person that they do not know, someone who is hundred of kilometers away and can't hear their cheers? This isn't just the Brits, its a worldwide phenomenon. I enjoyed the match and found myself rooting for Tim (I didn't want to be stoned to death there in the shopping plaza) although I did it quietly. But I do know that when I am attached to a specific sports team or person, I tend to do the same as these Brits did today.
So why do we do it? Our cheering isn't going to do any good. Our criticisms yelled at a small black box aren't going to change the outcome of a game. Despite what we might think, the TV isn't a two-way communication device...
So where are the shrinks out there? Where is Dr. Rick Ferdig of the U of Florida? I need some expert opinions here! :) And where is Dr. Ferdig anyways? He's supposed to be here in Plymouth. Where is that Vygotsky-crazed man?
What about the rest of you? What do you think? Gimme something to go on here.
About Me
- Expat Nomad
- Hardest question to answer? "Where are you from?" I've had problems finding a place to settle down and calling a place home. There's just something about going new places, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures. Maybe one of these days I'll stumble into a permanent place to hang my hat. Until then, I am a wanderin' fool.
2 comments:
Okay. Just for the record, I happen to care where R.F. is. And I care about the V. word. ;-)
Cheering: I think it helps the player(s), no matter where they are in the world. Plus, it's just plain fun to cheer. Don't you cheer for your favorite hockey team?
I was, for example, cheering (a.k.a. praying!)for "My Precious" yesterday as she drove on the opposite side of the road to return the rented car. "Prayer isn't a bad thing" you once said. I say, "Cheering isn't a bad thing, either."
Yeah, I cheer for my boys (or girls) whenever they are playing. But how on Earth does me cheering for Tim Henman in Plymouth help him in Wimbledon?
And yes, I do talk to the TV whenever I watch the Rangers play even though I know it does no good. But since they don't show them in Holland, I haven't talked to my TV in a coupla years. :)
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