Why Is Basketball The Best American Sport?
Basketball is the most American sport, but not because it’s the only American sport with an identifiable inventor. In America, basketball has helped bridge differences in race and social class. The game also helps promote American values of selflessness and selfishness. In addition, because the NBA has helped the game go global the globalization of American culture has been a reality.
Basketball takes the concept of America being a “melting pot” of racial diversification and puts it into play on the court. The game reflects the major cultural shifts from segregation to integration. In communities throughout the United States, people came together on the court to play basketball with no regards to a person’s race. Although most college teams …show more content…
Baseball was derived from the English game of cricket, lacrosse was adopted from the Native Americans, and American football was derived from soccer and rugby. Because of this, there is great pride found in playing basketball just like there is great pride in being American. America was founded on the idea of individualism but as society in America evolves it is becoming more apparent that there are also pieces of collectivism. When the American Founders wrote the Declaration and the Constitution they wrote them to “protect each individuals’ rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness” (Abbo, 2015). From the start, American values were written to be on an individual basis. In contrast, we also show signs of being a collectivist culture. Phrases like “there’s no ‘I’ in team” and group conflicts such as when people disagree on politics and social rules prove that you are supposed to think of the greater good and forget your own individual needs and opinions. Basketball takes these two differing cultural attributes and puts them into play on the court. Basketball is a team sport that allows for individualism. Depending on which attribute a person values the most, individualism or collectivism, they can choose which team to support or style of play to
Basketball takes the concept of America being a “melting pot” of racial diversification and puts it into play on the court. The game reflects the major cultural shifts from segregation to integration. In communities throughout the United States, people came together on the court to play basketball with no regards to a person’s race. Although most college teams …show more content…
Baseball was derived from the English game of cricket, lacrosse was adopted from the Native Americans, and American football was derived from soccer and rugby. Because of this, there is great pride found in playing basketball just like there is great pride in being American. America was founded on the idea of individualism but as society in America evolves it is becoming more apparent that there are also pieces of collectivism. When the American Founders wrote the Declaration and the Constitution they wrote them to “protect each individuals’ rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness” (Abbo, 2015). From the start, American values were written to be on an individual basis. In contrast, we also show signs of being a collectivist culture. Phrases like “there’s no ‘I’ in team” and group conflicts such as when people disagree on politics and social rules prove that you are supposed to think of the greater good and forget your own individual needs and opinions. Basketball takes these two differing cultural attributes and puts them into play on the court. Basketball is a team sport that allows for individualism. Depending on which attribute a person values the most, individualism or collectivism, they can choose which team to support or style of play to