JackgarPrime said:
Lightknight said:
Aptspire said:
I agree that video games aren't a sport. Music isn't a sport, it doesn't need to try to be a sport. Reading isn't a sport, doesn't need to be. So why does competition= sport?
I would instead compare it to chess. Chess isn't really considered a sport despite being a game of incredible skill and forethought.
Except, like the video pointed out, the Olympic Committee (who would be the final word on what is and is not a sport, if there's debate) DOES, in fact, classify chess as a sport. Therefore, there is precedent for games that rely on primarily mental abilities to also be a sport.
To accept it outright as a sport as in the common vernacular of sport would mean that ANYTHING can be considered a sport.
Don't get me wrong, I'm an avid chess player and am exceptionally good at it to the point of having visited and beaten entire chess teams of multiple universities.
But it isn't a sport in as much as society thinks of them. It is a game and it is highly competitive.
Perhaps this is why the Olympics are considered the Olympic Games rather than the Olympic Sports.
In any event, the Olympics are not the authoritative source. They are "An" authoritative source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport#Definition
So if things like driving, chess, and the like can be considered sport, then sure, throw games right in there, why not? But I'm pretty sure when the "is it a sport" conversation is being had that people are really asking 'is it athletic' and the answer is likely no.
Chess is not athletic. You know?
So someone like you and I could agree on the notion that a sport are types of competitions that don't rely on chance because we understand language but the person on the other side from us is likely using the common vernacular that equates to an athletic competition.
And neither of us are wrong. Common usage is a valid means of wording something. Just because people in top hats and monocles (joke) say that a word means something and write it as such in a book does not mean that linguistic drift of common usage will agree with them. Language belongs to society and is unfortunately a moving target (I say unfortunately because I want it to be set in stone).