Sports and Social Control - Essay Example

Sports and Social Control Several sociologists have argued that social control generally covers the bunch of certain practices and s by which the societies are being regulated. Chaos in society can be eliminated in a sustaining order and this elimination of chaos generally helps a society to control deviance. This particular essay will focus on a contemporary approach towards social control, which can be considered as a simple and common control over the daily lives of human beings. Apart from deviant behavior, this specific contemporary approach will be used to control certain positive human behaviors. Apart from law, several social institutions, such as religion, family and media also play an important role in the mediation of social control. In this essay, Super Bowl will be used as a social control tool. This essay will try to discuss contrasting views of Marx and Durkheim and their theories of religion clearly giving light on professional sports. The essay will also discuss the relation of these theories with social control mechanism. In addition to this, the essay will focus on the effect of professional sports on social control as a religion in North America and will also consider the costs and benefits of social control. This essay will argue that the specific sporting event has more negative effects on society comparing to the positive impacts. Finally the essay will agree with Karl Marx that popular professional sport also acts as a tool of individual power in the society. The functionalist approach of Durkheim has explained that religion can be considered as a form of social unity in society. According to him, religion can be considered as one of the important tools that brings people of a particular group or society together. Religion helps to strengthen bonding between two or more than two individuals within a society (Klassen, 2013, p.12). Professional sports can be considered as one of the important aspects that helps people of different religion and cultural background to bond with each other. Therefore, it can be stated that professional sport can be considered as a special and valuable form of religion. For example, Super Bowl can be considered as an important and popular professional sport that creates special bonding between the people of different cultural and religion background. In other words, it can be stated that this professional sport has acted like religion to unit people of several cultural backgrounds. For example, Super Bowl XLV was produced and broadcasted by the FOX Sports channel in the year 2011. This particular match between Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers was viewed by almost 111 million people. It is clear from the above mentioned figure that the professional sporting event had significant control over 111 million people in North America during Fox Sports channel’s broadcasting time. The audiences generally watch professional sporting events to become happy. Moreover, this specific event is highly popular in different parts of world. Super Bowl is highly popular among Europeans, Asians and Africans. People of different parts of this world used to watch this tournament n television for the purpose of enjoyment and recreation. Most importantly, there are certain number of people who used to update their knowledge about the ongoing games and tournaments for personal interest. In addition to this, watching professional sport games together in television can be considered as a traditional mode of celebration for the North Americans (CRTC, 2014, p.1). Super Bowl tournament has become a popular tournament during this point of time among the North Americans. According to Durkheim, watching Super Bowl event together in television helps to create a collective bond among people and it become holy to the people of North America. This event positively acts as a particular social mechanism, which helps to control and regulate society. According to the sociological point of view and social tradition, people of North America desist themselves from certain activities that can be deviant. Excessive drinking and taking illegal drugs can be considered as deviant activities in North America. It is mentioned earlier that watching professional sporting event is sacred to the people of North America. Therefore, according to the Durkheim’s view point, consumption of alcohol and drugs can be considered as deviant and unholy activities for the people. Consumption of these things can hamper social control. Most importantly popular professional sports can act as religion or social mechanism tool that helps society to bring its people together avoiding all types of deviant activities. Karl Marx’s approach towards religion is different from the approach of Durkheim. It is known to all that Karl Marx’s sociological theory on capitalism has been highly accepted by people all over world. According to Karl Marx, there are certain number of people in the society having huge power, resources and status comparing to other people with limited status, power and income (Brent, 2014, p.262). The power, resources and status of the people in a society highly depends upon the income distribution and political influences. However, Marx’s view on religion and social control considering the impact of professional sport is valuable as well as interesting. According to Karl Marx, religion can be considered as an ideological institution and a superstructure, which has been structured to maintain and control unequal power relations in the society. He has also argued that religion is not at all the cause of capitalism in society. According to the views of Karl Marx, social control is very much intentional and this social control will lead to the alienation by overregulation of human beings in a society. Karl Marx has logically argued that religion of people is not important to enhance effective social control. According to him, people make religion, religion does not create people. On the other words, religion can be viewed as a social institution for people. Professional sports can be considered as a significant form of religion for certain number of people across the world. In addition to this, professional sports help to develop a joyful felling inside people during the time of professional sporting events. The Super Bowl tournament or event is organized to control people as well as money. According to the viewpoint of Karl Marx, success of professional sporting events highly depends upon the acceptance level and popularity of sport (Giddens, 2012, p.15). Super Bowl in North America can be considered as a form of capitalization. The event organizers highly focus on the marketing and sales of this event to make the campaign successful and profitable. It is clear that Super Bowl is a popular professional sporting event. People love to watch these events by going to the bars and restaurants. These activities automatically increase the sales and revenues of the bars and restaurants. In addition to this, several advertisements and promotional campaigns in television during the games can also increase the sales and profit of different brands. It is true that, several popular professional sporting events succeeded to bond people of different cultural and religion background. People of different income status and class love to enjoy the game as it is one of the popular professional sporting events. According to Karl Marx’s views, it is true that people can enjoy the game by getting united but it actually has a positive impact on the sales and profit of several sponsors and marketing brands. Therefore, it can be stated that, theory of capitalism of Karl Marx can be justified here by looking into the revenue that have been earned by the Super Bowl organizers and other marketing brands during the tournament. It also has positive impact on the business growth of several bars and restaurants in the market places. Durkheim’s theory of social control has a negative impact on the society. According to Durkheim, social order is maintained by the process of socialization and it is required to avoid dissatisfactions associated with deviant actions. The theories of Durkheim from a religious perspective; state that the symbols, rites, priests, temples associated with a specific religion is based on the collective beliefs and practices adhered by people from a long period. Durkheim also stated that religion is not supernaturally or divinely inspired however it is inspired by the faith people possess within themselves. With respect to the famous sports event Super Bowl of America, some similar faith among people has been observed. It has been recorded that most of the population of Canada love watching Super Bowl and they prefer to watch the event in stadiums, restaurants and bars because they want to share their feelings and spirit with others. The Durkheim’s theory of religion has been applied in the context of professional sports because people have strong belief and faith towards the teams they prefer and they respect the sportsmen as their idol. Durkheim has stated that the religious belief and the portrait of God in the mind of people exist because of the faith and respect they have towards their religion. Moreover, participation in religious activities provides people peace and tranquility. In the sacred places such as church, social union is a common phenomenon which supports the Durkheim’s theory with respect to religion. Professional sports, such as Super Bowl has similar effect on the life of people because it enhances social relations and peace in the society. Karl Marx on the other hand has stated the negative aspects of professional sports. Though Marx preferred some of the games played in America but he did not support the idea of organizing professional sports on a broad manner in human societies. Marx’s capitalism theory states that the class difference in the society has created a huge gap among the people. In order to enhance social control, the per-capita income of the society should be high. It is also important to note that the income difference between the lower and the elite class people should be low (Powers, 2010, p.29). According to Marx’s capitalism theory, events, such as Super Bowl are organized on a high scale to earn profits by the Bourgeoisie i.e. the high class people of the society. As discussed earlier most of the spectators prefer to watch Super Bowl in restaurants, bars and stadiums hence, they are easily caught in the trap of the businessmen. It has been observed that most of the companies provide advertisements during the progression of the event. This method attracts the middle class and the lower class people and they end-up purchasing the products advertised by the companies. Moreover, professional sport like Super Bowl has great influence and control in the social life of Canadians because people prefer to drink beer while watching their favorite teams’ win. This affects the health of people and also affects the peace and prosperity of the society. Most of the spectators like to eat while they watch games on the stands; this nature allows them to consume junk food such as pizza and burgers, which could lead to deviant behavior. In the year 2009, during the progression of Super Bowl around seventeen million cases of Q1 beers were sold. According to Marx’s theory the advancement of the games might entertain people for a while but it can only profit the elite class people and businessmen. The lower and the middle class people get emotionally attached to the professional and they lose money as well as reduce the moral value of society. Though Durkheim and Marx have stated that professional sports is a kind of religion because it includes thoughts, values and faith of people but their arguments related to professional sports vary distinctly. Durkheim’s view states that professional sports such as Super Bowl is a kind of religion in Canada and it has improved social relations and unison. However, Marx’s views state professional sports such as Super bowl would be a method of capitalization which could have negative social control over the society. According to Marx’s opinion, professional sports should not be given much priority as it could lead to abnormal behavior of people in the society and could also reduce social organization of civilians. Marx’s theory has strong evidence related to professional sports because events like Super Bowl are mediated through corrupted and capitalist system in order reduce the positive aspects of social control. Thus professional sports can be stated as a form of religion that enforces social control and leads to power over society by means of business and production. References Brent, E. (2014). Learn Sociology. Stamford: Cengage Learning. CRTC. (2014). Transcript of proceeding. Retrieved from: < http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/transcripts/2014/tb0911.htm>. Giddens, A. (2012). Introduction to sociology. New York: Springer. Klassen, C. (2013). Religion and Popular Culture. New York: Oxford University Press. Powers, C. (2010). Making sense of social theory. London: Kogan Page. Read More