Thursday, May 26, 2016

Crowd (人込み =hitogomi)

A few years I decided one of my life goals would be to go to each baseball stadium in the whole country, and one in Canada (Toronto, check). Is this goal helpful to society in any way? No. Does it greatly enhance my earning potential? Not really. But a live baseball game has qualities that few things in this world can draw (well, actually rock concerts, Donald Trump rallies, and other sports game also has these qualities, but it's the ability to draw a large crowd). Here's what's so great about baseball crowds: 

1.) The cheering of the crowd: spontaneous, visceral, and enthusiastic. The fans really mean it. The closest to a war scene in a movie where people fighting for the same cause, wanting the same thing badly and being happy at the same time.

2.) Live possiblity of a game, anything could happen and you're seeing it live. Not a big thing for me actually, maybe cuz I grew up in the TV and live information era.

3.) The quiet buzz of chatter, of 40,000 to 50,000 talking at the same time.

4.) Human beings are social animals after all. We want to be near other humans.I like hearing myself talk, probably excessively, but eventually I like to hear another human being's voice. 

5.) Baseball crowds also allow for the cultivation of an important, under-rated and secretly enjoyable skill: people-watching. The art of people watching. Never make direct contact, under no circumstances should one get caught people watching. It's a recluse activity, and carries quite a bit of risk and social stigma. Some might even call it "creepy" or "stalking."

6.) People are actually happy (similar to when people watch Game of Thrones at 9PM EST every Sunday, except with less gory scenes and gratuitous rape scenes). It's one of the few things Americans at least (and from what I hear, to some extent in some Asian and Latin American countries, where people can enjoy themselves, do something they enjoy doing. As opposed to family life or work, things people are forced into doing. That idea of "I'm here by my own free will and am having fun just being here" is a powerful thing. Others feed off of it, and it revolves in a powerful cycle.

I love baseball crowds! (but not as much as my great girlfriend!) = cheesy comment. 

Fantasize on, 

Robert Yan 

2 comments:

MJ said...

Yes, I do think baseball crowds are very cool! However, 你总是 the coolest among them :)

MJ said...

Thank you for your cheesy comment!! <3