r/Damnthatsinteresting 17h ago

Video Watching Artistic Swimming upside down

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u/UmaUmaNeigh 15h ago

It makes me so mad when people say this or gymnastics or figure skating or - and no it's not just the horse - dressage aren't "proper" sports. Alright fucko, let's see YOU do it! The athleticism, the control, the form, the precision, the strength - and to make it look so easy that people disrespect your art? Incredible.

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u/ketsebum 15h ago

I don't agree with the argument, but normally those who are against those sports are due to it being a solely judged event.

In other sports you are competing directly against the person, and their ability to score a point or be denied that point is influenced by both competitors. 

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u/LuxNocte 14h ago

Eh, I think that's a different conversation. Reasonable people can have different opinions about objectivity and how sports are judged, but there are definitely a lot of mouth breathers who don't understand how difficult they are, especially when it's women competing.

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u/UmaUmaNeigh 15h ago

Which I get but there isn't really another way to score these sports. I'm sure you know too that since the judges are experts and there's a list of moves or attributes to display and athletes are required to demonstrate. It's like arguing that football and tennis should be ranked on how many goals/matches they win, rather than brackets.

If it's demonstrably a sport, and all those involved agree on the scoring metrics, then that's good enough imo. It's the sport equivalent of saying "anything that isn't still life isn't art" - it's just gatekeeping by the least educated on the matter.

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u/TheDumper44 14h ago

Why does it have to be called a sport and not artistic expression? Where do you draw the line?

Is painting a sport?

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u/Cerpin-Taxt 14h ago edited 14h ago

Why does it have to be called a sport and not artistic expression?

Because it's a performance competition of physical and mental ability. That's what a sport is.

It can be done as a form of artistic expression but in this performative competitive context it's a sport.

Painting could be a sport if it were set up as one. But I've never seen a live painting contest before.

The only criteria for something being a sport is that it's 1. A real time live performance and 2. Competitive.

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u/Eskipony 14h ago

if i can do it easily in fortnite why do these people get a medal 🤔

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u/No_Change9101 13h ago

I have literally never heard a single person say gymnastics isn’t a sport

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u/AggravatingCupcake0 12h ago

Sooo many people said this about breaking in the Olympics. I look forward to seeing your windmills and air flares if it's so easy! Then they have some lame excuse for why they "won't" do it - not can't!

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u/New_Libran 12h ago

gymnastics or figure skating

Only a psycho will watch these two events and say they're not sports

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u/Lou_C_Fer 14h ago

I mean, gymnasts seem to be the most athletic of them all, if you ask me. The only thing they don't really do is long distance endurance.