National Pride in Sports Can Be Positive When Based on Excellence Rather Than Jingoism
Source: Louisa Thomas. "An Olympic Final Worthy of a Rivalry | The New Yorker." February 22, 2026. www.newyorker.com
The Gist
The author argues that feeling proud of your country through sports isn't always bad. The U.S.-Canada hockey game showed that athletes can compete fiercely for their nations while still respecting each other and focusing on excellence rather than politics.
Conclusion
National pride expressed through sports competition isn't inherently negative and can be a positive force when it stems from athletic excellence and mutual respect rather than political divisiveness
Premises
- The U.S.-Canada hockey final demonstrated intense national competition while maintaining mutual respect between familiar rivals
- Both teams displayed exceptional skill and sportsmanship, with players acknowledging their opponents' abilities despite fierce competition
- The athletes' pride was rooted in personal and team achievement rather than political superiority or nationalism
- Olympic competition creates a 'contagious' environment where athletes inspire each other across national boundaries
- The game showed that competition can be zero-sum while pride remains non-zero-sum - both sides can take pride in excellence
- Political figures like Trump will try to co-opt athletic victories for jingoistic purposes, but the athletes' own expressions of pride were different in nature
Assumptions
- There is a meaningful distinction between healthy national pride and harmful jingoism
- Athletes' motivations and expressions of pride are more authentic than politicians' interpretations of their victories
- Sports competition can serve as a model for how nations should relate to each other
- Mutual respect and familiarity between competitors enhances rather than diminishes the value of rivalry