Will hype and materialism fill the void?

Dear Ones,

There are currently many high-profile sporting events making headlines.

On Friday, June 13, the New York Knicks won the NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs. An outpouring of jubilation followed in the streets of New York and elsewhere, accompanied by a certain frenzy and unruly behavior—including ‘elaborate’ (or nonsensical) verbal comments—throughout the weekend. Did the victory celebration go too far?

N.B.A. Championship [New York Times newsletter June 15]

After the joy of Game 5, the chaos: crowds gathered in Midtown Manhattan to celebrate the Knicks’ victory turned violent as the night wore on, smashing vehicles and fighting. Spike Lee called the Knicks’ win divine. Timothée Chalamet described the players as gods. The Believing newsletter asks: Was this a religious experience?

The soccer World Cup kicked off on June 11 with a match between Mexico and South Africa. I watched a clip of the second match, which saw South Korea face the Czech Republic; the camera showed a South Korean fan just after his team had equalized against the Czechs. Given that South Korea is unlikely to advance beyond the quarter-finals, his frenzied behavior might have led one to believe he had won a colossal sum in the lottery.

Where will this collective frenzy lead us, if not far from our true essence?

Many people seek, in the success of their clan or their country, or in accumulating possessions and titles, something to fill the void residing deep within them, without even realizing it.

It seems to me that this outward-looking tendency has intensified in recent years, perhaps because the “magic of Aladdin’s carpet” is missing from the global stage to reassure and comfort a worried humanity. Consequently, we retreat into what is familiar and close to home. Yet, seeing one’s team or country triumph—regardless of the level or location—will not lead to a peaceful world; quite the opposite, it exalts the “self” or a narrow collective entity, often at the expense of the Other.

The fact that these sporting events are subject to such media hype and excessive commercialization—to the point where advertisers rejoice at the new three-minute hydration breaks (occurring twice per match) during the World Cup—demonstrates once again how the media and the business world drive the masses toward increased consumption and materialism. Being the star of the show and winning a hard-fought match may well provide immediate satisfaction—however fleeting—but it will not fill the void I am speaking of.

The answer we seek, consciously or not, lies within us. When a great number of people become aware of this and turn toward their spiritual center, the world could undergo a major transformation—perhaps with a little help from the Divine—one soul at a time!