microcultures

Hello again, blogfans!

For years, I've been amazed at how many little "microcultures" there are out there that "John Q" know little or nothing about. These little subdivisions of people often exist so far under the radar that they're practically unknown outside of their membership. Oh, I could talk about socially relevant things like white supremicist groups, paramilitary groups who're deathly afraid of the government in any or all of its manifestations, or even some of the little religious cults out there that practice all sorts of strange things, from snake-handling to polygamy. I COULD talk about any of those.....

But I think I'll talk about all of the little sub-cultures that show up on Friday night for a football game.

Think about it. There's no reason for anyone to show up at a football game unless two teams square off and play a game, but, for many, the game itself is the sidelight; they're there to see the band at halftime or in the stands during the game, or there to watch the cheerleaders, or the dance team, the color guard, or even the ROTC color guard during the national anthem. I know that everone wants to watch their son or daughter participate in whatever they're involved in, but its gone a bit beyond that.

When I played football, it was an activity that was confined mostly to coaches paid by the school district instructing young men in football and it was an activity that was done mostly during the season. Oh, we had an off-season football program and a Spring game just as they do now, but summers were voluntary and there was little or no activity outside of what was done by the coaching staff at the school. NOW they do 7 on 7 programs during the summer and summer "position" camps are almost mandatory for any athlete who truly wants to continue in football both in and beyond high school. The investment by private individuals MUST be incredible, both in terms of money, but also in time!

Band camp was pretty standard when I was in school, but no one took marching all that seriously. NOW they have camps for nothing but marching and all sorts of marching competitions for bands to participate in. Once again, a huge investment by individuals and their families!

No one, and I mean NO ONE, paid much attention to cheerleaders when I was in school. Oh, they drew the normal sexual attention that they draw now (except for the fact that being "Victoria's Secret" material doesn't seem to be a pre-requisite anymore; I've seen some very large cheerleaders on the sidelines around many of the football games I've witnessed lately and no one seems to mind too much one way or the other!), but there was no such thing as a cheerleading competition, and.... a CAMP for cheerleading? RIDICULOUS!!! Who would ever go to a camp to learn to shake a pom-pom and look gorgeous for the captain of the team? Yet, my how times have changed! Cheerleading is almost as big as band or anything else that's happening on the fringes on Fridays. Who'd have ever thunk it?

Dance team? Color guard? Drill squad? More huge investments in time and money that NEVER got spent when I was in school. What's going on here?

Here's my take. Most of the people who're seriously involved in pushing these activities are people who were involved in those same activities when they were in school. In short, they're living their own fantasies out through their children. Uh....let your kids do what THEY want to do and be what THEY want to be and STOP living out your dreams through your kids! Secondly, watch your kids all you like, but have some class! If you're there to watch the halftime show, stay for the rest of the game out of respect for the football kids and their coaches. Have some respect for their investment of time and effort! Don't parade from the stands like cattle at feeding time as soon as the halftime show is over!

After all, if it wasn't for the game, no one else would have any reason to be there and whatever else is going on would draw only the parents of those with a vested interest. - Dan