Sports, the new opiate of the people

[mathematic]

57. Not this again.

Athletic participation and competition are fundamental elements of human experience. I'd sooner believe that music or art is the new "opiate of the people". A saying that goes back to ancient greece is "A sound mind and a sound body". Physical and mental health are both important. Sports are great for both.

Furthermore, I reject the way the phrase, "opiate of the people", is used. There is nothing wrong about being content with your life. Who am I to tell a person they should be agitated by political issues I find important? There's a big gap between telling people about the importance of an issue and telling them they're somehow brainwashed, manipulated, lack agency, or similar because they don't prioritize their interests a certain way.

Being politically engaged isn't about knowing the details of ACA or any other laws. All you need to do is know where you stand on basic principles and issues, determine which candidate most closely matches those principles, and go out and vote for him or her. Additionally, I think a lot of people kid themselves about their knowledge of issues. Even most "informed" people have nothing more than a talking points understanding of things.