Fandom
I have been thinking lately about how I am a fan of various things. "Fan" is probably not a good term for what I am thinking, since it is short for "fanatic," but there aren't many good words in the English language to express this idea. Supporter, encourager, sender of positive energy to a person or persons so that they will be inclined to continue to strive diligently toward a goal of higher and higher achievement in their particular field - whether that field is sports, the arts, or living a good life on a daily basis. It's this last point that to me is the important one. I am not inclined to cheer for or to support an athlete who I know is a jerk in his daily life - regardless of how good he is in his sport. Likewise in the arts. John Updike is one of my favorite authors. I want to encourage him to keep doing what he does so that I can continue to enjoy the result of his labors, but if I were to find out that he is a wife beater I could no longer enjoy his books, and could no longer be a fan.
Why wear the team colors and cap and show up at the games, matches, races? Why sit in the audience and clap at the end of the play, and then tell the actors personally that they did well?
First of all, obviously, because you enjoy being a spectator at these events; but also because you want to recognize people's efforts in their area, and you want to encourage them to continue striving for excellence. And - perhaps most importantly of all - because you are convinced that this striving, this straining to improve will make them better people.
So go for it good people; do your best! I'm behind you all the way.
Why wear the team colors and cap and show up at the games, matches, races? Why sit in the audience and clap at the end of the play, and then tell the actors personally that they did well?
First of all, obviously, because you enjoy being a spectator at these events; but also because you want to recognize people's efforts in their area, and you want to encourage them to continue striving for excellence. And - perhaps most importantly of all - because you are convinced that this striving, this straining to improve will make them better people.
So go for it good people; do your best! I'm behind you all the way.
posted by jkreggp at 12:39 PM
3 Comments:
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Sorry, Chris, I am not that hip. You will have to explain to me the Iggy Pop reference. (I know who Iggy Pop is, but no comprendo his relation to my post.)
I always appreciated you jogging along the track with me to help me get my pace at track meets when I ran the 2-mile in middle school. I think I only ran that race in about 3 meets, but why does it always seem like more than that? I think it's because that was the major source of stress for me at the time. Anyway, I know that other athletes, musicians, actors, etc. appreciate having outside support and encouragement from a super-athletic gray-goateed guy. I remember when the AHS theater competed in one-act at state in Austin, you rode up behind our bus at Amy's Ice Cream and one of my friends asked, "Did your dad ride his bike here form Abilene?"
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