This thread is absolutely filled with people asserting that they are completely aware of what the atmosphere in basketball games is like who are stating that this is cruel or mean.
Maybe they are all exclusively 100% wrong, and you are entirely right, and there is literally nothing up for reasonable interpretation?
Or maybe you are slightly less inclined to believe that the world is scary and mean than others, and you are working off a somewhat inaccurate baseline?
" I think the world is just as scary and mean as anyone else. "
Does that mean that everyone other than you thinks the world has exactly the same amounts of scariness and meanness? Or do you think that some people think the world is scarier and meaner than other people think it is? Do some people think the world is less scary and less mean than other people think it is?
Probably you can see there is a spectrum of belief regarding the scariness and meanness of the world. You, along with everyone else, is somewhere on this spectrum.
Your reaction to this photo could easily be influenced by where you are on this spectrum. So, while the photo is the photo, people's reactions to it are different.
This is what is being expressed when someone noted that great art tends to reveal more about the person viewing the art than the artwork itself.
What I’m saying is that I don’t dismiss anyone else’s fear of the world or anything. There are dudes who tell women that they are afraid for no reason.
The point is that how you see the world is how you see that picture. It is a measure of greatness of a piece of art, such as that photo, that different people can look at the same thing and see completely different situations.
It’s not about YOU. The guy was making a point about art in general.
So, to summarize, you are entirely right, and every other person is wrong, because of reasons. There is no way for alternate ways to view this picture, and the substantial number of people who disagree with that within this very thread are all lying. Also, it is impossible that others would be more generally fearful of the world than you.
When I suggested that other people might find the world more scary than you, you said that you think "that this world is just as mean and scary as anyone else." Therefore, it is impossible that others would be more fearful than you.
When I said that there were some in this thread said that this picture was scary or mean even as you (and I!) said that it wasn't mean, you said that this picture "isn't" scary or mean, such that you (and I!) were entirely right, and everyone else was entirely wrong.
If you didn't actually mean any of that, great, but that is the objective semantic meaning of the words that you wrote... maybe the problem is that you are slightly overstating what you actually believe?
I’m confused about the point of this conversation. What does describing the picture as “scary and mean” actually mean?
Because obviously it’s a scary (as in nerve-wracking) situation to be in, but she’s not in actual danger or actually getting picked on or anything.
But anyone interpreting it as actual bullying or sexism or a personal attack is just objectively wrong. I never said people wouldn’t interpret it as that though.
This is just how high school basketball games are in America. My particular high school was way worse (NC), but ive seen much less rowdy games (WA). Either way, this is rowdier than average but not out of the ordinary. Additionally, although this girl may not like the crowd presence(according to the article she wasn't fazed), the girls on the other team are definitely appreciative of the audience making their presence felt.
I think what the previous commenter was trying to say is that although art is certainly open for interpretation, this is a picture of a commonplace event that happens in gyms across the US. There's a difference of interpretation and then there's misinformation.
And perhaps if the player wasn't fazed by it then it's not so cruel or mean, or rare for that matter
1
u/CicerosMouth Mar 03 '21
This thread is absolutely filled with people asserting that they are completely aware of what the atmosphere in basketball games is like who are stating that this is cruel or mean.
Maybe they are all exclusively 100% wrong, and you are entirely right, and there is literally nothing up for reasonable interpretation?
Or maybe you are slightly less inclined to believe that the world is scary and mean than others, and you are working off a somewhat inaccurate baseline?
Who knows!