For all these reasons, the product is easily recognized, marketed, and sold. For it is familiar, socially validated, and creates a warm glow of familiarity and social acceptance. Because it is our psychological way of protecting ourselves from rejection and failure. We accept mediocrity to avoid failing. Set the bar low and you have set yourself up for success. Hmmm....interesting concept http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-beast/201204/why-we-love-mediocrity
If you read the article it has no parallels whatsoever to why we love this team. Most of us fans bought into this team when it was a winner and that former winning product reached it's expiration date. Newer fans love the team because of proximity or other reasons. Maybe a parent that was a fan? None of us love the mediocre product this team has become. And the article itself is a pretty weak premise. Americans love ****ty food because they are addicted to it. They read ****ty books and watch ****ty movies because of idiocracy.
Obviously all of us in society make choices that reflect our level of knowledge, education and understanding.
But it's all subjective. What's ****ty food and ****ty movies for one.. Is great stuff for another. I think that then is the problem. Someone is always trying to give their opinion on what we should and should not do. For some being a fan of the Dolphins isn't so much about winning or losing.. As it is a common thread that brings different people from all walks of life together for a Sunday afternoon during the fall. In the end.. Do our lives really change if the Phins win or lose? But our lives are forever changed by the relationships we have forged as fans of this franchise. So while some psychologist may try to pass that off as some sort of "comfort food".. They truly are missing the greatness that is Sports and being a fan.
ok you got me bad article. Try this- I posted it in another thread --- it is a culmination of several articles I read. I did a little looking to see if I could figure out why people so easily accept mediocrity. Psychologically they crave success. So to ensure that dopamine trip they set the bar low. It assures success and feeling like a winner. It also gives the allure of Hope for the next season. It is to protect themselves from failure. Most of these people's Ego will not allow them to admit to themselves that their acceptance of mediocrity is really their selfish need to be a winner. To feel like they succeeded. They just do it on a different level. So that level is set lower to ensure success. The fact that others also have the same psychological flaw creates social acceptance, further enhancing that feeling of success, because know it is even easier to justify in their mind when others accept their views and except their point of view. They now feel like they belong and that is a powerful - powerful feeling. To further feed their ego these types of people will often resort to name calling, degrading comments and making every excuse in the book why the bar is set as low as it is, including making stuff up like the term "baby steps". Their abilities to rationalize and think logically have been compromised. The desire to be socially accepted is so strong that these people will use any excuse to justify to themselves that they are in fact acting rationally. I am not suggesting these are bad people only that normal people have a strong desire to be accepted socially. After all isn't the reason we all come to this board is to be socially accepted. Well, most of us. Some come to just troll.
You say you're doing investigation, but are you reading legitimate peer-reviewed articles published by professional researchers or blogs and rants that support your already steadfast conclusions? Clearly we all want to avoid the latter (because of course we could find articles that support wild theories like racial purity if we felt so inclined) so where exactly are you getting your information? The "article" you linked was certainly not an objective review of society. The point the author was attempting to make--burdened by its elitist overtones though it may be--was that uneducated people make uneducated decisions. I'd be happy to speak on the greatness of Charlie Parker or the wonderful book I'm currently going through by Ilya Prigogine but I'm not going to ridicule those who don't have the education to appreciate such things. It's simply their loss. And for what it's worth, this may not be coming off as you planned because it certainly looks to me like a thinly veiled attempt to try and find some scientific basis to support your view...which is what exactly, that all Miami fans are shameful for rooting for apparent "mediocrity?" As though rooting for the Dolphins would somehow indicate the person actually preferred a worse team to another? The supposition is then what...that if I studied the intricacies of NFL football and became more aware of games casual relationships that I would somehow rise the level of following another team? I'm sorry but that's not how being a fan works so that notion need not apply. We all know that as fans, the admiration of this franchise that each one of us holds can be traced to a point when the team or some part of it was in some way exceptional. Last I checked, no one here hopped on the Miami bandwagon last season singing the praises of how good 8-8 feels. Some root for Miami because of Shula or because of Marino's greatness. Some came on board, like I did, by inheriting it from family members. To say that we all here support mediocrity is insulting to each and every one of us, yourself included. Maybe that notion escaped you when at some point you decided those that didn't agree with your views were somehow uneducated and therefore selecting mediocrity, which the article would seem to propose. Or is supporting the Owner, GM, HC, OC, DC, QB, etc. and rational discussion regarding the future development of this team away from its rather mediocre past somehow a desire for "mediocrity" in an of itself. I'm curious what exactly you think you're showing us, because that logic wouldn't even follow so I'm sure it must be something else. Your point is what here?
30 and thanks for asking. But since that fact is entirely irrelevant, can I assume you have nothing of substance to offer the conversation?
I didn't post the article to argue about food. This is taken directly from the article I posted. I think the author is pretty clear at to his point: The point is that everywhere people are given a free choice between something profound and something shallow, they go with shallow. I know that such judgments are individually subjective and disputable but the overall pattern is unmistakable. I am not trying to give an opinion on what we should or should not do. Only illicit conversation about this pattern that undeniably exists. It exists right here on this board in the form of some of the posters choice to ignore the profound and choose the shallow. What I mean is the profound principals of coaches such as Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Paul Bryant, Tom Laundry, Bill Bellicheck, Jim Harbaugh, etc and undeniably accept the shallow principals of for example - our current head coach. I agree in the end our lives most likely do not change. You say a common thread brings us together on a Sunday afternoon. I believe that common thread is social acceptance. I believe that social acceptance is so important to some that they are willing to compromise there principals to be accepted. They are even willing to abandon that burning desire to win, and except mediocrity in the form of 9-7. Its easy to dumb down the product. Mediocrity sells and is the current story of this franchise. It is the whole point of the article. .
How is gathering together to believe in something we have no direct control over not profound? Could we not start following another team? What stops us from becoming Patriots fans. Your argument is that we choose to stay and accept mediocrity. My argument is that not one of those that spend so much time here are there in Patriot Nation. I accept mediocrity for many seasons in the hope that I get to be part of one historic season with the friends I have made here. I can assure you, being part of that will be nothing less then profound.
That was a good read. Impressive. Especially the stuff you added from the original version. I had answered most of what you asked in the original and when I went back to reread your response somehow lost what I typed. So I will answer this way. My point was simple. There have been many threads on this board regarding mediocrity and culture. I am suggesting that some of the people here on this board accept and go along with others beliefs that it is OK to be 9-7 or 8-8 because in their mind they have manufactured hope for the future. And that they choose this road because they want to be socially accepted so they sometimes compromise their principals. People by nature hate negativity, I understand. Some overlook the obvious faults in a sincere effort to have hope, because hope carries them through. You can believe what ever you want, feel however you feel. I am no-one to suggest to you differently. I will however suggest to you a fact that is undeniable. There is no Trophy for second place in the NFL. There is only one super-bowl winner in the NFL per year. Anything short of winning the trophy is failure. I am a little young (45) to remember 1972 and not to old to remember hearing maybe next year for the last 34 years.
I agree with you, however after a while hope begins to dwindle and my attitude has becomes - "show me". I choose to stay because like you I love this team. What stops us from becoming Patsy fans is the Patriots suck!!! My argument is not that you or anyone else accepts mediocrity. I am trying to understand why people compromise their principals. Your desire to share this historic season? When do you anticipate it is going to arrive because it has been 43 years since the last historic season. Do you really believe that Joe Philbin is the guy to get it done? I just don't see it. I simply don't want to spin our wheels anymore. But what I want matters very little
But, your missing the point in its entirety. If we knew when that magical time would come, you could just quit following the Phins till then. Hey I'm 42. Been following this team a long long time. Personally I wear it as a badge of honor. It's easy to love something perfect. I love something tarnished, but forged over time. I dont care to know when that time will come. I'll be here next season, and the year after and so on. So, time really is of no consequence. I'm just gonna enjoy the ride. When you speak of principals however, personally I think that is more applied to things I have direct control over. Did I sacrifice my principals to take a job with a corrupt company because they paid me a good salary? If I was an athlete did I go for the big contract with a ****ty team, or did I take less to be part of a championship.
Who said anything about loving mediocrity? Us fans are frustrated and want change at the coaching staff.
If you're a true fan, you have no choice but to accept it. That doesn't mean you have to like it or not want better...but not "accepting" the team is as good/bad/average as it is, is a bit stupid. It is what it is and no level of non-acceptance will have any impact whatsoever, on the team. I accept they're what their record says they are...I expect and want improvement...I don't get caught up on what I think needs to be done to fix it, since I kinda don't GM the team and can't change anything anyway...if I knew, I'd have an NFL job.
I think a number of people are projecting much more of their adult lives onto a sports team than is entirely healthy. I think a number of people are greatly over estimating the amount of influence they have over a sports team. 53 players. Maybe 10 PS guys. 20 coaches and trainers. Maybe 300 other staff. They have influence, we don't. The team didn't lose this week because we accept mediocrity. Everyone wants to win. Sometimes you just play teams who are physically better, have more skillful players, are better coached than your own.
You say mediocrity sells ? You might want to run that by Steven Ross. TV ratings have never been lower, season ticket sales are the lowest since before the 70's Super Bowls, and the Dolphins presence on the national scene as a "brand" has never been lower.
NO ONE here wants the team to be mediocre. That accusation is insulting and stupid. The issue is that we have varying ideas on how to become better than mediocre. Some feel like if "above average" isn't achieved in 2 years then you should start over. Some feel it can take longer if progress is there.
Good points. The flip to that for example is if a winning culture exists in place by the coach, I hate to use New England as a example but they immediately come to mind, Players go there and actually take a pay cut instead of going to a crappy team for the big contract. They want to win and buy into that mentality. which was one of your points. My question and or problem for alack of a better explanation is that culture does not exist here. It hasn't since Shula. Until that mentality returns we will keep spinning our wheels, and will continue to be mediocre for years. I don't personally have a hate for Joe Philbin. I am sure he is a good guy. I just don't want a coach who doesn't get it. I don't see or hear that mentality anywhere in this franchise.