5 Profound Reasons We’re Crazy About the Olympics

2) Unique

Our current cultural parameter for ‘the miraculous’ is rarity. Something extraordinary that doesn’t happen very often. The Olympics have this miraculous, majestic quality because of the relative rareness of the event.

Most everything we encounter feels so contrived, so repetitive. Remakes and reboots and the same old arguments. The Olympics don’t happen every year. But more important than that, the Olympics are a unique event. There is nothing else like it.

We love the idea of autonomy, of uniqueness. We want to stand out and make our place in the world. For two weeks this winter, we will live this dream vicariously through the athletes.

3) Unity

Speaking of miracles, it is truly astounding when the people of Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles are all cheering for the same team.

In a country that is becoming more and more divided, the Olympics are one of the few things that truly bring us together as a nation. It feeds our deep need for community, for togetherness.

The Olympic seems to both shrink and broaden the world for two quick weeks. It (along with the World Cup) are our two shining examples of the world coming together. Is it sad that sport is the only arena we do this in? Maybe. But at least we have this.

The Olympics awakens a sense of global awareness and unity. It suggest our humanity might be a thing we have in common. Our souls long for friends much more than enemies and the Olympics suggest that the world might actually be full of people with similar interests and desires.