The newest metaphor for how one views the diversity of American society could be the National League Football fans. For years the metaphor for that diversity was the classic melting pot, where individual components are molded into one entity. The melting pot metaphor gradually gave way to the salad bowl metaphor, where individual components were mixed together, but retained their individual composition.
Just as the melting pot metaphor eventually ran its course, I believe the salad bowl metaphor is near its end. The pieces in the salad bowl exist together in harmony. Tomatoes touch lettuce which touches carrots which touch cucumbers in a benign relationship. Today, there is growing animosity between the pieces – they don’t like each other very much and are not tolerant of differences in beliefs and culture. They don’t want to associate together.
Taking the NFL fans as a total entity, can be a good metaphor for American society for a variety of reasons. While there are common interests that all fans share, the fans divide into two ideological groups supporting one team over another. In addition, within one teams fan base there are other divisions. That mirrors an American society where everyone supports the concept and freedoms America has come to represent, but generally splits into two ideological camps (Conservatives and Liberals) on the best approach to support that concept and freedom. And then within the two camps, there are smaller divisions on how best to exercise that support.
So let’s take a look at how NFL fans can be a good metaphor for American society. First, all the fans come to the game because of a common love of the game of football. They love the athleticism needed, the strategy, and the excitement of good plays and disappointment of bad plays. I’d suggest that most everyone in America loves the many unique aspects of our country – freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, the opportunity to work hard to achieve your individual goals, the stability of our judicial and economic systems, and the opportunity to raise their children without fear of the future.
The fans also have many other similarities. For example, they love to wear their team ‘colors’, whether that’s jerseys, hats or face paint. Rooting for your team is a collaborative event. Whether you do it with your spouse, family members or friends, it’s a group effort. And it’s an all-day affair. All the fans participate in pre-game tailgating, the game itself and then post game tailgating. And if you can’t tailgate, the game is watched at your favorite sports bar. No matter how you do it, it’s a participatory celebration, not just watching a game.
But in any NFL stadium on Sunday, the fans are divided. There are two teams playing and the fans are hotly divided in who they support. Typically there is a lot of animosity directed at the opposing team and fans. Everyone comes to root for one side or the other – no one comes just for the overpriced hot dogs and beer. In America, more than at any other time since the Civil War, Americans are hotly divided between those that favor a Liberal approach to our laws and government, and those that favor a Conservative approach. There clearly is a lot of animosity between proponents of the two political approaches. As evidenced by the lack of progress in the Congress for the last 4 years, there is no willingness to compromise. Each side is dug in hard to make their approach succeed.
But even within a fan base for one team, there are divisions. Its easy to see divisions based on race or ethnicity, on income levels, religions or on educational levels.
Each team puts a game plan – a strategy – together and tries to execute it as best they can. One team may place greater emphasis on a strong offense, while another team might focus on a tough defense. In America, the liberals have a strategy of pursuing bigger government, wealth redistribution and increased regulation. The Conservatives have a strategy of lowering taxes, smaller government and less government interference in our daily lives. Just like the teams try to get points with their strategies, the Liberals and Conservatives try to get votes with their strategies
The fans have their heroes, both of yesteryear and today. The Packer fans might idolize Brett Farve but also love Aaron Rogers, their current QB. The conservatives might idolize Ronald Reagan, but also love Rick Perry, current governor of Texas. Just as fans debate which players were the best. Liberals and Conservatives debate which elected officials were the best.
Every week, there are winners and losers. Every year there are local and state elections with winners and losers. Once a year, there is a Super Bowl, where the winner carries that title until the next Super bowl. Once every four years, we have a presidential election, where the winner carries the title of President until the next presidential election.
Coaches might be similar to Elder Statesmen who are too old to participate themselves but bring a solid understanding of how to play the game.
The primary critique I would make of this metaphor is that on any given Sunday, you might have sixteen games going. My use of NFL fans as a metaphor for American culture would be better if there was only one game going on. The examples and analogies work very well when comparing the fans in one stadium, but harder to make work when you are comparing the fans in one stadium with the fans in two stadiums. For example if Dallas and New England are playing in Dallas, the comparisons work. If Green Bay and Chicago are playing at the same time, the comparisons work too. But if you try to make the metaphor work using Green Bay fans and Dallas fans it doesn’t work as neatly.
Works Cited
"Analogies for America: Beyond the Melting Pot." StarTribune.com: News, Weather, Sports from Minneapolis, St. Paul and Minnesota. 29 June 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2014. <http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/213593491.html>.
