Melbourne Cup tokenism
04 November 2008
I don't understand horse racing. I don't mean that I can't understand the rules, I just can't understand what the big deal is. Generally I don’t really like gambling not because I’m a Christian but just cause it seems like a waste of money.
I also don’t understand why the daily tabloid papers seem to think that hot women with fake tans and big stupid hats with random horses on the front page sell papers. Why do people care?
Having said all that I’m a totally inconsistent hypocrite. I went in the Office sweep at Jane for the Melbourne Cup. For my two bucks I bought one horse for Christine and myself and managed to win five bucks with my horse coming in 3rd. Interestingly the last time I went in a Melbourne Cup sweep (at Chickenfeed a few years ago) I won the blooming thing with a two dollar entry.
My motivation both times has been wanting to be more involved the community rather than wanting to win. Unfortunately this year I didn’t even end up watching the race. It feels like my involvement is nothing more than tokenism. I should be happy I won but I don’t really care.
tags linkage, shameless self promotion, thinking
Posts
My experience at work this year is that very few people are in it for the races. Most aussies see it as their right to spend half a day doing nothing and getting drunk on the company.
This year we had a sweep at work. I, like you, made the token effort and put in for one horse. But I actually won. Not quite sure what to think about the whole thing, but anyway there you go.
It was a pleasant day to spend chatting with workmates and doing pretty much zero work.
I agree too. I don't get it. I've never even entered an office sweep, similarly, it's not even the Christian gambling thing, I just don't see why bother. As a Christian I can't gamble. As a mathematician I might, but I'd sooner cut my losses and go with bank interest.
The community spirit is a good point, and if I thought I'd get something out of being involved maybe I would be.. I mean, that's why I bother going to Christmas work barbecues... But yeah, I do tend to listen to the race, because I like to be up with the times. The same goes for the AFL grand final - I watch the last quarter of that. I'm so unAustralian. I do at least try to watch Bathurst :)
I don't think there's anything wrong with not caring, even if you did win.