This Buzzfeed link emphasizes the single story of athletes being unintelligent. The pictures described are made fun of as the writer portrays these athletes in a negative way. The way the writer uses the word forgot time and time again to describe every picture invites in weakness and makes these athletes look foolish. In addition, the pictures show a wide variety of athletes, therefore making it more believable that all athletes are, indeed, unintelligent.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/justinabarca/athletes-who-forgot-how-to-athlete#3qaz1sh
This assumption gives athletes a disadvantage in school. The doubt and criticism coming from others does not foster a welcoming environment for learning new material. Granted, these examples are just fun and hilarious ways to give athletes a bad reputation. If more jokes and pictures include the single story of unintelligent athletes on their sites, though, more people will gain the mindset that athletes must be stupid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDNw5jpJzKY
https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRBJRWFG5mqB9wc8H8_-dENYyrxpMAZSTYz7Oltpg3JGJKmYV-31g
Not all athletes struggle with articulating issues, thinking quickly, or receiving exceptional grades. In fact, many are intelligent people with bright futures ahead of them that do not include running into the end zone or shooting from the three-point line. Recognizing that will reduce the prejudgements made by assuming teachers and peers.
I think it's really important to draw the line between humor and offensiveness when dealing with long-persistent stereotypes of any group and you did a good job illustrating cause and effect when that line is blurred. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have met a lot of professors and successful business men who were college athletes.
ReplyDeleteI agree that I at times will play off athletes as dumb, but that's probably because I'm just jealous that I'm not very athletic. haha. But I do agree that the whole push for Nerd culture in the media does harm the idea of an athlete.
ReplyDeleteThe facts are that pro athletes are int he lime light. everyone is watching they need to be concious of this attention and act appropriately
ReplyDeleteI played lots of sports growing up, mainly soccer and some lacrosse, and it is true that lots of people did not really think of me as being smart, so normally I just chose not to bring up the fact that I got good grades. All my friends were really surprised when they found out I got into BYU haha
ReplyDeleteIt seems like this single story is enhanced by the single story view of high school football jocks.
ReplyDelete