Why oh why do people want to be in relationships? The pain I'm seeing some of my friends go through now over relationships ending is so bad that no benefit can possibly be worth the anguish.
I can think of several differences. The main one is that the anguish isn't an exit cost. If the ups and downs of being a sports fan aren't for you, you can choose to stop following, and you more or less immediately go back to a baseline, neutral response to sports. (Or perhaps a toned-down version of your previous fandom, but my point is the same.) With relationships, the only way out may be on the other side of the pain.
Well, a relationship has its ups and downs too, trust me. Anyone who says differently is lying, probably because his/her sweetheart is in earshot. And when it ends on a low note, there's still always another "season" you can pin your hopes on (And eventually, even the Red Sox can win the big one, it seems), or you can choose to stop dating and go back to a neutral baseline (with a toned-down version of your previous entanglements).
The only major difference I see is that, with sports, you could theoretically "quit" on a truly high note, whereas relationships end at best on a mellow note.
And yes, sure, it's not nearly the impact on your life, but it's an approach by analogy, not a perfect one. There are fans that have followed teams only to be disappointed time after time, but they stick with it, because the highs and the lows are exciting, and they keep hoping for the big win. There's some parallel in that.
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The only major difference I see is that, with sports, you could theoretically "quit" on a truly high note, whereas relationships end at best on a mellow note.
And yes, sure, it's not nearly the impact on your life, but it's an approach by analogy, not a perfect one. There are fans that have followed teams only to be disappointed time after time, but they stick with it, because the highs and the lows are exciting, and they keep hoping for the big win. There's some parallel in that.