Super Bowl Sunday. Seahawks. Patriots. Deflate-gate.
These words have dominated the American vernacular for at least the past two weeks. On Sunday, Feb. 1, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks competed against each other in the biggest sporting event of the year.
According to CNN.com, Super Bowl XLIX brought in nearly 114.4 million viewers. That’s truly astonishing. Over one-third of the American population was glued to a television set watching “incredible” displays of athleticism. Yet, only 20 million people watched the State of the Union Address given on Jan. 20, just 12 days before the Super Bowl.
Why?
I can’t give a logical answer for that question. Why is our generation distracted with watching corrupt athletes instead of being concerned with a change in our world? I don’t understand the philosophy behind this concept. Personally, I find it infuriating when I hear 20-year-olds giving their opinion on controversial issues but don’t know the first thing about the workings of our government.
Don’t get me wrong; I support the concept of sports and recreational enjoyment. However, when sports take a precedent to education, intelligence and political understanding, it bothers me. A lot.
In the past year, the NFL has made plenty of headlines, but not for positive reasons. Scandal after scandal has made it to the press about domestic violence, abuse, cheating and the list continues with other wrongdoings. It discourages me to think the potential leaders of our country are more concerned with the outcome of a football game.
How will a single football game affect the lives of college students across the United States? In reality, it won’t. How will the President of the United States directly affect the lives of not just college students, but also the entire U.S.? I’ll tell you: directly. The president should have more influence on the general American public than any rookie or veteran NFL player.
The Super Bowl has had more viewers than the State of the Union Address since 1960.
I truly hope as a nation we will become more informed about the political happenings in this country, as well as internationally. It is important for us to stay informed because without understanding how our country is operating, we can’t make a difference. So the next time an important speech or debate comes on, invite over all your friends, throw a party and watch something that will impact lives instead of helmets.
