Funny how you just know about some things. When I heard of LeBron James’ one hour quasi-press conference last Thursday night I knew that would be my topic of the week. Relax: I’m not going to orate on the “decision”, but rather explore the larger picture and its ramifications.
But first, let me briefly orate: there is a philosophy in all of sport that promotes letting the game come to you. All too often, athletes chase their dream through various machinations that generally leave them short of the pinnacle they covet. Others, that let the game come to them, enjoy a more favorable legacy regardless of their personal achievements. LeBron has chased the dream. His impatience will forever tarnish whatever greatness the NBA has in store for him.
Now let’s move on to the bigger picture. LeBron is free to announce a one hour event during which he will name his future team. ESPN is free to provide the air time and hype it up as much as possible. Much has been written about the wisdom of either, but I’m left wondering why so many people tuned in. Ratings for this spectacle broke records previously held by other, more meaningful, sporting events. What’s up with that?
Our society has always sought out recreation as a diversion to the more mundane requirements of daily life. You know: work, school, and the like. It’s not called recreation by accident as the diversion-du-jour allows us to take a deep breath and re-create our energies before returning to those mundanities. Could it be that the proverbial tail is wagging the dog as society becomes more concerned with all-star ballots than November ballots? Do we use our smart phones to dumb us down as we choose mind-numbing games and social networks at the expense of news, productivity, and a generally more informed existence? Thursday night’s announcement would tend to bear that theory out.
Many of us can name the highest paid athlete or the latest celebrity to appear in court. Many can name the current Dancing With the Stars champion. Twenty thousand fans showed up in Rockefeller Center for Lady GaGa’s recent Today Show concert. How many know who Rockefeller was? How many can name the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court? Or any justice, for that matter. How about your elected representatives? You know: mayor, state reps, governor, senators, congressman, president. Shouldn’t these names be of more importance? Don’t these folks hold greater sway over our future?
Of course they do, but, as society becomes more isolated from their government, who can blame them for turning to more pleasurable pursuits? Call it a state of denial or perhaps an effort to find a positive moment in a day normally filled with disappointment and detours. Either way, we seem to be concentrating on the sublime while ignoring the substance. Sadly, many legislators prefer a disassociated electorate over an engaged one. Why? Well, it’s easier to do as they please if no one’s paying attention, isn’t it?
There’s nothing wrong with looking for a ray of sunshine or two in a dismal day, but overdoing that figurative sunshine wreaks the same damage to our mental state as an over-abundant dose of the literal sunshine on our skin cells. Feel free to divert your attention in an attempt to recapture that spark of creativity and energy, but be wary of spending too much time there. Let the LeBron’s and the Lohan’s, the Gibson’s and the GaGa’s, and the rest of the “celebrity” world go on about their business while you go on about yours. Drop in for a look now and again, but keep in mind that, while they are playing the fame game, your future lies in the success of a far more important contest: life.
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