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About this quote

What does it mean?
American society uses sports to distract the public from other issues.
In plain terms
People use sports like a drug to forget their problems.
What can you take from it?
Distractions can mask deeper societal issues.

Where it applies

  • media consumption
  • political engagement
  • social criticism

Putting it to work

  • analyzing media
  • questioning distractions
  • identifying biases

Questions to consider

  • What distracts you from important issues?
  • Is entertainment always a distraction?

Another view

Sports also provide community and health benefits beyond distraction.

More from Russell Baker

  1. A solved problem creates two new problems, and the best prescription for happy living is not to solve any more problems than you have to.

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  2. People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure.

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  3. It seems to be a law of American life that whatever enriches us anywhere except in the wallet inevitably becomes uneconomic.

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