Wendy C. Alcalá
Jon Sigmon
SOC 134
04/25/2016
The Good and the Bad in Sports
Sports have existed for so long that it seems impossible to imagine a world without them in society. The principal purpose of sports in American society was social entertainment and a source of exercise. As time has passed they have become even more important; they now play a bigger part in society and teach different values to those that are somehow linked to them, whether it’s being a part of sports or being the spectators. With the participation in sports, athletes gain a sense of belonging, leadership skills, build relationships, and develop social skills. With these teachings that athletes receive they grow up to be more successful. Along with these important values that will aid them in the future, they also learn certain behaviors that can cause some concern in people that don’t belong in the sports world and can seem as dangerous. Such behaviors include improper behaviors such as violence, cheating, or the use of illegal substances in order to win. Sports’ impact on society can be explained through the functionalist and conflict theorist perspectives. When …show more content…
Those in power take advantage of that power and they control the others through rules and other values. In sports the coaches and parents are the ones that really control the sports and athletes because of the power that they have over them. Even though sports are meant to be a fun activity, those in power take the fun out of it and instead focus the game on competition and winning. When driven by competition the goal is to win at any cost and fair play is thrown right out the
Jon Sigmon
SOC 134
04/25/2016
The Good and the Bad in Sports
Sports have existed for so long that it seems impossible to imagine a world without them in society. The principal purpose of sports in American society was social entertainment and a source of exercise. As time has passed they have become even more important; they now play a bigger part in society and teach different values to those that are somehow linked to them, whether it’s being a part of sports or being the spectators. With the participation in sports, athletes gain a sense of belonging, leadership skills, build relationships, and develop social skills. With these teachings that athletes receive they grow up to be more successful. Along with these important values that will aid them in the future, they also learn certain behaviors that can cause some concern in people that don’t belong in the sports world and can seem as dangerous. Such behaviors include improper behaviors such as violence, cheating, or the use of illegal substances in order to win. Sports’ impact on society can be explained through the functionalist and conflict theorist perspectives. When …show more content…
Those in power take advantage of that power and they control the others through rules and other values. In sports the coaches and parents are the ones that really control the sports and athletes because of the power that they have over them. Even though sports are meant to be a fun activity, those in power take the fun out of it and instead focus the game on competition and winning. When driven by competition the goal is to win at any cost and fair play is thrown right out the