The Happiness Plunge Jean Baudrillard Analysis

Being a professional athlete is one of the most commonly heard dreams of a young boy or girl who currently elementary school. Whether it is realistic or not, these kids will be participating in the sport that they wish to thrive in. But, time after time we hear adults complain about their child’s insane soccer schedule, or how they have to spend their whole weekend traveling for games. The parents complaints shouldn’t be the topic of discussion, in fact the only opinions that matter are the children. The question shouldn’t be asking whether or not youth sports are too intense, it should be asking if it is worth it. If a child loves what they’re doing then they have every reason to continue playing their sport, but if they are not all in, he or she has to question whether or not all the craziness is worth it.

Football acts as a “driving force” for many high-school and upper level athletes, and often keeps the players striving to do better on the field, and in life. The support parents give physically, emotionally, and financially to their child that is participating in sports is important; however, fathers’ involvement specifically can often bring added pressure due to the high expectations.

For a lot of kids, it’s not until it’s all said and done, and they look back on it several years later, that they realize the difference the sport made in their lives. They are proud of playing the game. Have you ever met anybody who accomplished playing four years of high school football, and at the end of that run said, ‘Man, I wish I wouldn’t have played’? It doesn’t get said. Football players aren’t perfect. Nobody is. But millions of former players, one by one, can recount the life-altering principles they learned from football. They know the value of football is the values in football.That’s why high school football – and particularly high school coaches – play such a vital role in our society. Our football coaches are on the front lines of the battle for the hearts and minds of the boys in our society.

In the article “For Children in Sports, a Breaking Point” by Jane Brody the author discusses the underlying problem on whether or not young athletes should be encouraged to push themselves to their physical and mental breaking point in sports from their coaches, parents, or even themselves. Meanwhile, in “Why Parents Should Let Their Kids Play Dangerous Sports” by Jeb Golinkin the writer deliberates why parents should let their children participate in risky sports to understand the significance of failing, teamwork, striving, and succeeding.

For decades, American Football has captivated this nation as one of the prime sources of entertainment. With the culmination point, the Super Bowl, attracting more viewership than any other televised event in the country, the sport has seen a tremendous growth since its origination in 1920. In an era of economic struggle, job shortage, and high-cost of living, those with above average physical abilities can find the lure of professional football to be extremely attractive. With the wealth and fame attached to a professional career, many of our youths share the common dream of achieving football star status. In order to attempt this lofty goal, many kids enroll in this contact sport at an early age, often times with the support of their parents.

Football can not only teach you about teamwork but as well as commitments and responsibilities. When on a team this is no I or me there is only us and we, that commitment is made as soon as you pledge to help your fellow teammates and participate in the sport. Most sports now in common day are not likely to be inexpensive but highly costly, especially football. The child’s parents make the commitment to pay for the registration, the equipment, and time to be there to cheer on their

In today’s society, NFL players and hockey player are the inspiration in the lives of today’s youth. Little boys strive to be the best they can be in football and hockey, because their dream is to one day become a professional athlete. Young boys focus on sports like football and hockey, because they are two of the most populist sports in America. Many young children want to play professional sports for the fame. Some want to be a professional athlete because of all the money they can make each year. They also want to make money to make a better life for themselves and their families. Most children

Have you ever had a dream that you wanted so bad and you would do anything to obtain that dream to make it a reality? Most kids if you asked them what they wanted to be when they grow up they would probably say something along the lines of an astronaut, firefighter, or maybe even a doctor, but what I have found to be the most common answer to this question is to be in some sort of major league sport such as baseball, basketball, or football. Most kids can’t really perceive the sacrifice and consequences that come with having this dream. The ones that have realized what it takes to make it in professional sports won’t let people or the hard work set them back they will keep moving forward and keep their eye on their goal so their dream isn’t a dream, it’s a reality.

I feel that this excerpt stood out to me for many reasons. The first being that I am sure that many people can relate to this quote and feel that they had a similar experience. Personally, I can relate to this excerpt because I have tried playing another sport, and I tried my hardest to train, but after a little while, I started to realize that I wasn’t truly enjoying myself, which is what sports are all about. Another reason is because many people are unsure of what they want to be when they grow up, and end up spending their time in college for something they didn’t truly want to do. Finally, it seems that many parents choose for their kids what their career choice is going to be without the kid having a say in it. With that being said, many kids can end up doing something they don’t want to do for the rest of their life, and not enjoy the good things in life.

One reason why I would allow my son to play football because it can build character “ it's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up”. You can play all day, and if you get down it don’t matter. What matters if you have the courage to get back up. “If you can believe it, you can achieve it”. No matter what you do, you shouldn’t have to put your mind into it, but believe in what you put your mind to and make it

However, when we talk about youth sports, our main concern is with providing players with a positive, character building experience. Winning is not the only acceptable outcome for youth players, and coaches need to understand this principle. “With a winning philosophy young athletes may lose out on opportunities to develop their skills, to enjoy participation, and to grow socially and emotionally. Well informed coaches realize that success is not equivalent to winning games, and failure is not the same as losing.” (Enhancing Coach-Parent Relationships in Youth Sports, 15)

In the articles “The Secret Life of Tiger Woods” by Wright Thompson, where the article talks about how Tiger Wood’s childhood affected his later life, and “Are parents ruining youth sports? Fewer kids play amid pressure”, which talks about how the pressure of doing great in teams sports are causing more kids to quit, by Michael S. Rosenwald both helped me to realize that the sacrifices that are needed to be taken to become an “elite athlete” are not worth the consequences you will face. The combination of the pressure from coaches, parents, and teammates, and the fact that the child can do no other activities, makes many children, including me lose interest in the sports that they are playing and make them eventually quit. In Rosenwald’s article there are many examples mentioned of all the sacrifices parents and their children are willing to make

In The Happiness Hypothesis Jonathan Haidt talks about how our brains work and how best to find happiness with the different ways it works. Haidt describes the different ways a positive and negative person’s brain works and how each can find happiness through various and different methods. He also discusses different aspects of society that can affect our level of happiness. All of these things can be considered to find the best way to raise your level of happiness.

These days, there is too much pressure on children who participate in organized sports because of the unnecessary parental involvement they experience. A growing concern amongst those involved in youth sports is that certain aspects of parental involvement become detrimental to the development and experiences of young athletes. Early emphasis on winning, making money, and the disruption of education can exceedingly affect ones desire to further participate in a sport later on in his/her life.

Raising children in today’s society is not for the faint of heart. Raising children has never been easy, but it is especially difficult in youth sports today. Coaches and parents are putting a lot of pressure on our young sons and daughters. The pressure to succeed in sports at