Week 10 theoretical- Sport as a Religion and Cultural System

Sport can be examined as a cultural system, that is religious or spiritual. Geertz argues that sacred symbols 'function to synthesize a people's ethos - the tone, character, and quality of their life, it's moral and aesthetic style and mood' (Geertz 2008, p. 58). Sport does fit this theoretical model as a competitive, engaged and athletic religious mood. In addition, the character and aesthetic style of sport is continuously reinvented through advertising on television and in newspapers.

Geertz continues to describe religion as:

'(1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, pervasive and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic' (Geertz 2008, p.59).

To analyze sport as a religion by Geertz's first point, is simple. Sport has the symbols of team jerseys, logos and the sporting equipment itself. These symbols are tools for engaging in the religion, but when portrayed in still form, also evoke an emotional response in the sports fan, as he or she might reminisce or be eagerly reminded of a match.

Secondly, the symbols do 'establish powerful and long-lasting moods' in the fan (Geertz 2008, p. 59). For instance the sports fan will feel a rush of ecstasy when his/her team wins or loses a match and will often create discussion for weeks to come, if not longer.

Thirdly, sport does formulate concept for existence in our society. A widely accepted 'mens' or 'boys' past time is sport, generally speaking, it is right and perhaps necessary for a male to be interested in sport. The fourth point continues on to say that this assumption should be clothed in actuality. In our society it is accepted that men, but mainly men are the fervent sports fans. However, this assumption leaves out the plethora of avid female fan, even though the assumption is widely referred to through male and female vernacular.

Fifthly, Geertz discussed that the motivations and aura seem realistic about the spiritual experience. Sport conforms to this theory once again as the moods and motivations are for the favourite team to win, which seems a realistic goal. On a deeper analysis though, the moods and motivation seem quite unrealistic: for men to separate themselves from each other, don different coloured clothes and engage in athletic games to see who wins, only to try to prove their athletic superiority over and over again. Sport relies heavily on a constant state of transformation, path to success. It needs the constant striving to survive, like other religions who market a better version of self

Reference
Geertz C, 2008 Religion as a Cultural System In. A Reader in the ANthropology of Religion Ed., Lambeck M., pp. 57-75. Blackwell Publishing: Malden, Oxford and Victoria

Photo
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