Everyone I know, wants Australia to lose the Ashes against England. None of them have anything to do with either Australia or England. Still they want Australia to lose. Though I have little respect for patriotic feelings, I ask them, "But didn't the English rule brutally over India?" They reply, "But Australia has won so much". Why do we want the high-flyers to be brought down to ground? Is communism/ socialism in our genes?
At the same time, we always want to surpass others when it comes to "Myself" or "My Kind". The theist prays to god so that he is the first boy in class (f**k you to the rest), so that he gets the job (f**k you to the rest), and that he gets the only promotion (f**k you to the rest). We want India, Sania, Vijay Singh to win all their matches. And also the whole corporate world strives and runs on messages like "You can and must win" and "No time to losers". So is selfishness in our genes?
I think it's selfishness. Look at a child- he cares a shit about anyone else, he will cry and fight for the things he needs. He has to be taught by parents, school etc. that sharing is a good thing. So till he gets nurtured, nature makes him fight for himself and only himself. The same is largely true for most animals (a large percentage of our genes are common with most animals). So what explains communist/socialist behavior when it comes to Australia? Is it the selfish gene again at work? Does our subconscious have a scale in which they map everyone and everything including the self and Australia? If Australia keeps winning, does the selfish gene, through the subconscious, tell us that we are falling behind (Australia)? Is communism/socialism driven by selfishness (I want all richer than me to be as poor as me)? I have spread my arguments too much; look forward to comments.
P.S.: The word selfish gene, that I have use, doesn't have relation to Dawkins's concept of selfish gene.
3 comments:
I think humans get conditioned to think differently for oneself and for others.
So when one goes to pray to God the habit is to ask as much as possible...very few ppl actually thank God for what he has given..The fear is if i dont ask someone else might ask and get it.(Competitive praying)
But when it comes to teams like Australia....it seems the law of averages must play..what goes up has to come down...fire needs to be afraid of water( balance of power).. So we dont want too much of a good thing..
Its like in a one-to-one performance appraisal u r praised sky high , but when it comes to getting the bonus , you are 'normally distributed'.
Selflishness? No. I think there is more than selfishness in it. It is more "England should win, than Australia should lose". I guess the entire world loves the underdog and this is the philosophy which drives us to back the dark horse rather than the one which has been winning all the while.
@neelkantan
I differ with you that its more "England should win".. Replace England by any team in the same situation and you would support this team...So the underlying feeling is very strongly "Australia must lose"; doesn't matter who beats them- same with the horse examlpe
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