Opiate of the Masses reaction paper
An opiate refers to a narcotic drug containing opium derivatives. It is as a symbolic or a metaphoric representation of something (item or substance) to calm or soothe people. According to Karl Marx, religion was regarded as a =n opiate to the masses because it prevented most working-class individuals from acting against their seniors. Thus, Marx implies that religion can be ideologically used as a tool to legitimize and defend the wealth class’s interests in society since they are dominant (Schnabel, 2017). This paper focuses on my thoughts on ‘opiate of masses’ and contribution towards the statement that sports are an ‘opiate to society.’
I think ‘opiate to the masses’ means something that is appealing to the people, especially to the disenfranchised, to help them navigate through their suffering. This will distract these people from focusing on the leading causes of their pain as well as suppressing emancipatory politics from developing. Based on Marx’s argument on religion as an ‘opiate of masses, religion is used to help the disadvantaged group and thus suppresses their consciousness towards politics (Schnabel, 2017).
Today, sports is regarded as an ‘opiate to the society’ as well as having a religion-effect like to its fans and followers. Games are far much different from religion; however, scholarly studies and researches have provided detailed insights about the interrelationships between religion and sports. Thus, sports can function religiously in various ways. Sports take place in integral and civil parts of people; therefore, society uses games to celebrate and disseminate ideas and values that are central to society (Bain-Selbo, 2008). And as it is, beliefs and values in a society do not benefit all the residents, some of the members will benefit more than others. Therefore, it will be true to argue that Marx’s ‘religion is an opiate to the masses’ can be substituted with sports as an ‘opiate to the society’ since it maintains the status quo in the society hence, differentiates the ‘haves and the have not’. Moreover, to justify this statement, sports will have to become opiate to those who do not have, so that they become aware of social inequity and injustice that dominates societies.
Many people view sports as a platform to serve the capitalists’ interests through entertainment, pacification, and disciplining the working class. According to the French Academic Marc, he hates sports in the same way as Marx does to religion. But Marx understood why many people in a society would seek the glory of heaven in the cruel world. On the contrary, Perelman is tolerant and terms sports as worthless, not quickly reformed reclaimed. Through games, one can see the worst aspects of the behaviour of the people in a society and mirror nasty characteristics among the capitalists. Such components include but not limited to racism, sexism and homophobia, among other issues. Bigots can sometimes be found at the sporting arenas; however, that is not ‘their’ game, and they have no intention of thinking it is their game (Schnabel, 2017).
Furthermore, during great sporting events such as the World Cup, sports contaminate the society and the media coverage is disproportionate and irritating towards many people. One can despair on the time and space occupied by the elite sports and how it depoliticizes people in the society as well as diverting their attention from political activities intended to challenge orders in existence. For instance, sports distracted and diverted the attention of the Americans from protesting against the 2018 visit of President Donald Trump to the UK (Bain-Selbo, 2008). Therefore, sport is political, and it can be seen from the recent World Cup event whereby England’s victory was to be used as a bolster for those who wished for ‘hard Brexit’ while its loss was to mark the continuity of national decline. Moreover, consumption of the sport through the media presents a conversation focused on the elite game forms established on taxpayers’ money to uphold mega-events in huge and fantastic stadiums or global corporations. Thus, this fails to differentiate the levels for those who watch and follow –up on the games as well as recognizing the special aspects worthy of celebrating.
School sports are regarded as unpleasant and unappealing. Many people tell horrifying stories about their childhood games such as the PE lessons as well as the PE instructors. However, when they grow up, they find it fun to exercise and participate in sports (Bain-Selbo, 2008). The passion for sports is hampering ideological spread all over the world. Today, it is presented as something worth dying for since it inspires palpitations to the weak and upholds the stronger. Furthermore, sports have been elevated into a diplomatic thing since nations have used it to gain and dictate supremacy in political diplomacy.
In conclusion, an opiate is a narcotic drug derived from opium. It is used literally to mean something soothing or calming people in one way or the other. According to Marx, religion is an ‘opiate to the masses’ since it helps people to navigate through their troubles and distracts their attention towards political issues surrounding them. Thus, sports can be related to religious opiate nature because society uses sports in celebrating and disseminating its ideas and values into its residents.
References
Bain-Selbo, E. (2008). Sport as the “Opiate of the Masses”: College Football in the American South.
Schnabel, L. (2017). Opiate of the masses? Social inequality, religion, and politics. Unpublished manuscript.