soccer for dummies, my style.

This is a recycled post from my old blog :)

First, grab a spherical object. Cylinders, cuboids and pyramids are out of the question, but worth a try. Next, find something to kick it into. Well, the wider the structure of the 'goalpost' is, the easier the game due to several obvious reasons. For a greater challenge, get a narrower region to kick the spherical object into. Here's the trick, someone from the opposing team has to place his body in grave danger by guarding this 'goalpost' with solely his body. Hence make sure the spherical object has no sharp or jaggered edges to ensure that the human being does not have to taken away on a stretcher.

So far so good? Now, the tricky bit is the movement of this circular object. Hands are out of the question, so if you'd like to look stylish while playing soccer, tuck your hands in your pockets. It is the emerging style. Feet can be used, don't worry. Well, if you're not too worried about brain damage, use the back of your head or your forehead. For those without heart problems, use your chest by all means. Otherwise, feet work fine. Next step - how many men are required to chase this spherical object and pass it around before shooting it into the 'goalpost'? 11 in total, per team. Oh keep some players on standby. Accidents happen more often than not.

Oh yes, referees are a necessity. They like to keep two coloured cards in their pockets. Red and yellow. (No, they're not all Spanish) They wave the red card if they would rather you get off the field while yellow serves as a warning. Watch your tongue because vulgarities can get you a yellow card or even a red card. Oh and if you like doing chokeslams or headbutts on people, you'll be better off in a wrestling ring.

Soccer politics. Something that churns out millions in terms of the press. So if you're not in for some sweaty action, pick up that typewriter and churn out a story on soccer politics and sell it to tabloids. Likely to get you hordes of cash, if you're really professional.

Scoring. Some people like to kick the spherical object in various arrangements around the field for a bulk of the time and then score a goal whereas others prefer kicking the spherical objects into the crowd. There are some, of course, who rather get to the point and score from one end of the field to the other. Of course, that is only possible if all the players are asleep on the field apart from the one delivering the shot.

So, as you can see, soccer is not all that complicated after all. Go and grab your spherical object and a couple of people today!

molds of plasticine or bricks of clay?

Conformity to the norm or daring to be different. Human beings tend to take different stances, but ultimately they funnel into conformity at some juncture or point in time. How different can we be and how often do we let ourselves stick out like a sore thumb?

This raises the issue of our locus of identity and whether it is external or internal. The former are comparable to molds of plasticine whereas the latter are comparable to hardened pieces of clay. It is difficult to classify humans into either of these two categories and most possess a little bit of that plasticine and a little bit of that clay, just that how much of each vary. Plasticines let themselves be molded and adjusted by the fingers of society whereas clay pieces have set their own standards of living and values, which are immune to external perspectives.

Why exactly do people conform? Why would someone not dare walk out of their house in their PJs? Why would people not dare break out into a musical on a train? Why are there unspoken norms of behaviour and conduct and who exactly created these? It is quite interesting to think about the roots of origin of such practices and how these differ across the globe. In Japan people would look at you aghast if you were to set your mobile on ringing mode, while in America you see people talking at the top of their voices. True enough, we can connect or link these to culture and traditions, but it does not address the issue of people having to be similar or at least not too different from one another. This is an entirely different issue on its own. Is it a need for identity or a fear of being judged? It could be either or perhaps just an easy way out. After all, it takes less energy to do exactly what your neighbour practises instead of having to decide what to do. We begin to doubt our own actions and try and match those of the norm. Also, people may fear being left out or ostracized for being different. But that makes them become someone they are instructed to develop into rather than someone they want to be.

Not convinced? Several psychologists have tested on subjects in the past and proven just what I am rambling about - the need to conform. One of the earliest of these studies is that done by Solomon Asch in the 1950s. Check this out:

Even though the need for acceptance haunts our minds, I think in order to be truly happy we need to take our lives by its reins and take critiques with a pinch of salt. Dare to be different and have that clay within us while maintaining some plasticine as well. Only a healthy balance of these two will make us truly us and unique. It is perfectly fine to stick out like a sore thumb once in awhile and create a whole new direction and perhaps a whole new norm, the irony of it all.