Page 527 - Sociology and You

Chapter 15 Sport 497
Sport teaches basic values and aids in socialization.
Because societies have additional needs, there are additional social institutions. Sport is one of these. Sport teaches some of the basic values of society. It also promotes at- tachment to society. For example, a society requires that its members identify with it. Members must feel that belonging to the soci- ety is an important part of who they are. Sport aids in this identification of self with society.
Chariot racing in ancient Rome is a clear illustration of this social identification. Athletes would risk their lives in this danger- ous sport in part to reflect their self-identifica- tion as Romans.
The individual, even when free, did not be-
long to himself; he was strictly subordinated
to the city. His life, his death, were only episodes in the history of the group. To confront death was not an act of exceptional heroism; it was the normal way of proving oneself a Roman (Auguet, 1972:198).
Sport, Culture and Society
Sport plays a central role in American society in part because it reflects the culture’s emphasis on achievement.
People who visit the United States from other countries are often amazed at the extent to which competition [in sport] is used to distribute rewards and evaluate the work of human beings (Coakley, 1998:82).