Sport is an activity that entails physical exertion and skill in which a participant, whether a team or individual, competes against one another. With the popularity of these sports activities globally, many people participate in different sporting as a hobby or a career.
Sports will still exist as the world evolves. Different sports keep coming up every day and more and more people join the world of sporting thanks to the gratification it brings. Sporting activities has been used to bring people together. One of the common functions is the promotion of peace through sports charity and community participation.
Sportsmen like athletes have contributed a lot in making sports what it is today. Professional athletes have contributed a great deal in influencing the existing culture. This article will, therefore, outline different ways in which professional athletes have influenced culture and make the world a better place to live in.
Positive Influence of Professional Athletes to the Culture
Professional athletes like any other sport, are very talented and use their talents in different ways to contribute to the society. These athletes have many fans that admire them not only for their talents but the great contribution they make towards a better society. They are, therefore, role models in different places where they come from.
They Portray Positive Changes and Attitudes
This is one of the positive influences of professional athletes on the social culture in a society. Professional athletes and other sportspersons take advantages of their celebrity titles and influence for good courses such as to advocate for human rights. This can be seen from the famous sports personalities such as John Carlos, Jackie Robinson, and Muhammad Ali who are reputable for various roles including the front-line in administering positive attitude in the society.
Moreover, professional athletes are not left behind as they also play the same tune of bringing positive changes and attitudes. Athletes are well-known to participate in fundraising functions where the money raised plays a role in social development and helping the less fortunate.
Promote Health and Fitness Awareness
It is common knowledge that any sport requires a lot of training, determination, and power. Professional sportsmen, especially athletes, always need to keep themselves health-conscious for them to compete effectively and bring home trophies. As they train, they also show people the importance of staying healthy and fit. They become perfect role models to bring about health awareness among the masses.
As days go by people adapt new living standards that sometimes interfere with their normal life. For example, when a large population consumes unhealthy food and ignores the need to keep fit, the life expectancy becomes jeopardized. Thanks to the athletes’ influences, some people are able to get back their normal life.
Developing Self-Confidence and Determination
Taking part in any sports requires a lot of confidence and determination. Watching sportspeople and athletes taking part in their respective sports cool-headedly and winning sparks a lot of inspiration. They exude confidence and thus influence their fans to follow their lead and build self-confidence. Professional athletes are a massive boost to the younger generation as they do not just promote determination and self-esteem but also nature talents.
Negative Influence of Professional Athletes to the Culture
Well, not all that shines is gold. While there are many athletes that bring good to the society, we can’t ignore the fact that others influence culture in a negative light. Here are those negative influences.
Involvement in Immoral Behaviors
Once they reach a certain degree of success, humans may get overwhelmed by their achievements and tend to commit actions that may not be morally right. The problem escalates as they have people who idolize them, and they tend to follow them down the wrong path too. In the past, there have been many incidents where prominent professional athletes have put up improper behavior in public or have committed illegal actions that are not appropriate at all. Athletes are humans too, and they also tend to make mistakes. However, because of their influential position, these kinds of incidents may leave a harmful impact on their followers.
Wrong Promotions
Professional athletes are no less than celebrities in today’s world. Thus, it will be wrong to assume that their reach is any less than an actor or an idol. We find them endorsing and promoting different brands that are not really culture friendly. On an average incident, it may not be such a big thing. However, every once in awhile, professional athletes are seen to promote or advertise products that may not be good for the larger mass. Such endorsements, fueled by their reach, may have an adverse impact on society and culture.
Final Verdict
Professional athletes have vast reach among the masses and have a significant influence on them all. They might use this influential status to help society and influence culture in different ways. However, they may also communicate the wrong message to the mass. As you may brand a professional athlete a role model, have in mind that they have a two-way influence on our culture and the world.
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