Sheep

This past weekend was the Superbowl, a time honored tradition of getting together with friends, watching the game, cheering for fantastic football plays and watching commercials at halftime. I scoff at this as a continued hilarious process of entertaining the sheep, or the “sheeple” if you prefer. Sadly, I assert more people know the names of the quarterbacks of each team and not the names of their two Senators. Most people will know which team won the game, but cannot name which party has a majority in Congress. Lastly, the commercials will be recounted with detailed attention, but the average person cannot describe the details of the largest federal budget passed in history this last week.

I find myself an outcast because I don’t watch the Superbowl, or follow professional football obsessively. I admit I don’t follow any professional sports religiously, although I may know names, teams, or who leads a league at times. And of course, if I were invited to a game or race, I would joyfully attend. Preparing this week’s column I had realized I had no idea who was playing, and did not care. I realized a long time ago I had no interest in watching millionaires who made no contribution to society run around on a field or court. When the players make the news it is usually due to beating their wife or girlfriend, an affair, drugs, or shooting. But yet, our society idolizes these players that have near superhuman strength.

With President Obama’s populist push against the CEOs and executives of major corporations I must wonder why sports and Hollywood celebrities are exempt. The American people readily hand their money over to large entertainment corporations that provide obscene riches to a very few in an environment where nepotism is more likely to drive success than any type of skill. On the other hand, a successful businessman who risked his home, personal family life, and employed others is now demonized if he rises to a successful level. No one questioned the use of private aircraft and limousines by Paris Hilton, but the automotive executives that employ hundreds of thousands and whose company’s stock is owned by the masses were chastised by Congress for wisely using their time to travel via an efficient means. Ironically, Nancy Pelosi travels every week via private aircraft from Washington, D.C. to California at taxpayer expense but that is not questioned.

President Obama has made it clear that to succeed in America by hard work, rising through the ranks, managing people, and running billion dollar corporations is bad. However, it is acceptable to sign a hundred million dollar contract to play games for a few years, and even get paid if hurt. Or, like Conan O’Brien to get $30 million to peacefully leave a contract at NBC. As much as his populist agenda is being promoted, it scares me to think about a lottery society where success is measured by luck rather than a society that favors hard work, risk, and rewards success. Life is not fair, everyone is not a winner, but America has led the world by everyone having the opportunity to succeed regardless of gender, race, or economics. The Romans distracted the people with entertainment, ran lotteries, and controlled the people to take taxes, and control the people. Governments know when the people are entertained they will turn their backs on the important issues and trust others to care for them, just like sheep. Sadly, it seems like the American people have become sheep who do not care. Now, I must ask, “Who won the game?”