Are We Being Expected to Get Excited About Small Things?

Are We Being Expected to Get Excited About Small Things? Admittedly this is a complicated subject and our discussion can go in a lot of directions. But it seems that over the last 5-20 years (at least in the U.S.) we are increasingly expected to get excited about somewhat trivial things. Examples:

1) Fantasy sports
2) Reality TV
3) Facebook/Twitter/Social Media Likes and Followers
4) Participation trophies at school events
5) Lottery fever

Fantasy sports- around 2004 I was asked to join a fantasy baseball team at work. I did, and little did I know what to expect. For 162 games I had to check my lineup daily to see who was injured or had the day off to juggle my lineup. Also there were trades to be made or responded to. At the end of the year the grand prize was a "whopping" $20. That same day, I could make 10-100 times as much money trading stocks.

Reality TV- I understand that this may have really become the way to go as a method of creating TV shows on a budget. Nonetheless, who gives a rip about what the Kardashians are doing?

Facebook/Twitter/Social Media- It is still strange for me to hear a company advertise "Like us on Facebook". Really? Are you getting paid by the amount of likes you get? How much could you possibly make from this? I'd love to see a publicly traded company itemize revenue from Facebook Likes (and other social media) in their quarterly earnings reports. That would be a real eye opener.

Participation Trophies- I remember when there was a trophy for the winner. Sometimes, there would be Runner-Up and Honorable Mention. But a trophy for everyone? C'mon.

Lottery fever- Someone is paying for a commercial that says "You can't win if you don't play." Really? Don't I win (in a perverse way) by not wasting my money in the first place? I understand certain games where there is actual strategy (i.e., poker, stock trading), but something where there is absolutely no real system whatsoever and where you know for a fact that the lottery people have expenses to pay (salaries, building rental, etc.)- meaning that they will DEFINITELY pay out way less than they take in. Translation: over time you will lose money unless you are lucky. I don't want to rely on feeling lucky.

What other types of cheap thrills can you think of that are a part of society today? I am very curious to hear everyone's thoughts and I didn't mean to offend anyone (i.e., those who just played the billion dollar plus lottery).

Some things on your list, like facebook likes for a business, are marketing tools with easily quantifiable effects and rooting for teams or athletes in a fantasy league is no less trivial or community-related than, say, tailgating. But most everything in life is small and it's ok to enjoy those things, frivalously enjoy them even.

7 lbs 12 ounces at birth, my son.

Originally Posted by JJinLV

facebook likes

I wouldn't consider $1,000,000,000 a trivial thing. Or a small thing. I don't play the lottery often but I can afford to spend twenty dollars for a very slim chance to will a bill. I don't expect to win the lottery but eventually someone does win. So, why not me?

Pssst ... Steve .... In the grand scheme of G-D and the cosmos .... It's ALL trivial.

There's no way of knowing for sure, but you may look back from the other side some day and wonder what all of the fuss was about.

Pssst ... Steve .... In the grand scheme of G-D and the cosmos .... It's ALL trivial.

There's no way of knowing for sure, but you may look back from the other side some day and wonder what all of the fuss was about.

Yepper

This reminds me of the awards some companies give their employees. The first time I got employee of the quarter I thought it was alright. The company had a plaque that hung on the wall with a small gold colored square thing with my name on it. I also received a piece of wood the size of a brick with my name on it. I got the award 6 times in a row. The last time I accepted the award I went up front to my boss, shook his hand and whispered to him that I wasn't an effing beaver and I wanted a raise instead of a piece of wood. He got pissed but I didn't get fired. That was the last time the award given and I finally got a raise.
I work in a lot of different businesses and I notice all of the long fancy titles people are given and the pretty awards on desks and in display cases. Means nothing to me. Money talks.

Awards kind of lose meaning when everyone gets one

I agree with you