The Anti-Plato Bowl

Plato wanted to ban art from the ideal republic. His reasoning was that our reality was already once removed from "true" reality (an imitation). Artistic representations of our reality were even worse because they were imitations of imitations.

Sports are often thought of as representative of reality, but another way of thinking about games are that they are an imitation of reality. Therefore, in Platonic thought sports, like art, are an imitation of an imitation. So what about sports video games? An imitation of an imitation of an imitation? How about real athletes playing sports video games?

I'm not sure how Plato would describe ESPN's "Madden Bowl," but I don't think he'd like it. It's amazing to me that a viable TV network could actually put a video game of a sporting event on TV and expect people to watch it. What is even more amazing is that if it wasn't for the lack of Packers in the tournament, I actually would watch it.

If I can get the same kind of thrill (albeit lessened) watching a completely artifical imitation of a sporting event, it makes me wonder about the thrill I do get from actually watching sports. I've always known that there is something artificial about my viacrious enjoyment of a team from my geographical area, but I don't like to be reminded of it and I'm afraid that the Madden Bowl throws it into my face. Along with this Onion article from several years ago, I am forced to confront the irrationality of being a sports fan.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33426