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Belonging to a particular culture is central to the very human nature since it creates a sense of security and satisfies peoples need for belonging. Although the concept of culture can be stretched fairly far, and some cultures might seem less significant than others, it is possible to gain deep and immense satisfaction from being and even becoming a part of it. Therefore, although, being an African American woman, I could delve into the intricate details of my cultural legacy as one, I would, instead, like to talk about the culture a member of which I have become comparatively recently. Namely, I would like to explore the culture of bowling, specifically, the community of people that I have encountered when getting familiar with the game and its philosophy. Apart from the obvious importance of the team spirit and the sense of unity that bowling provides, it has also helped to shape my idea of sports as the mere tool for keeping fit to a complex system of principles and ideas with a profound underlying philosophy.
Defining the Culture
The bowling culture is quite egalitarian in its nature since it welcomes anyone and does not discriminate on any basis except ones ability to hold and throw a bowling ball. Although the presence of prejudices may depend on the personal convictions of participants, any stereotypes are generally frowned upon, whereas the concept of unity is reinforced. Combined with the fact that bowling allows every individual player to sine, the specified culture provides a thriving environment for the development of cooperation. In addition, the key rituals are not difficult to learn, thus making bowling accessible to newcomers. With the only ritual being not to rush players, bowling provides major opportunities for cross-cultural bonding.
Reflection
The overall impact of the culture that has become a part of my identity, even though in a rather minor way, has been comparatively positive. Defining the culture of bowling, one may need to explain that it is seen primarily as a recreational activity and not as an active kind of sport (Tomlinson, 2019). Although becoming a member of the bowling community has not brought tremendous change into my life, it has still contributed to personal development and led to the development of a new source of relaxation and enthusiasm. Moreover, considering the bowling culture closer, one will need to acknowledge the fact that it has changed quite positively over the past decade, inviting opportunities for people from different walks of life to mingle in a friendly and rather relaxed environment. Thus, the culture of bowling may have introduced the idea of peaceful collaboration as opposed to confrontations during conflict management, at the same time allowing participants to retain their individuality. Therefore, the importance of bowling has been quite high in my life, even though bowling as a kind of sport and a means of communication has been only a facet of it.
Stereotypes
Surprisingly, there are not many stereotypes about bowling in popular culture. Partially, the lack of biases and perceived images of bowlers can be explained by the drop in the sports popularity. Indeed, since bowling has been relegated to the type of activities in which one would only participate occasionally, particularly, during parties or other events, the extent to which its players have been stereotyped in modern media has dropped. However, several misrepresentations of the sport and its players still exist in American culture. For example, it is quite common to think of bowling merely as a type of entertainment (Harrison et al., 2018). However, bowling is a kind of sport, and a very demanding one at that. In order to play at a decent level, not to mention qualifying for a sports team in bowling, one needs to show a decent level of athletic prowess. Indeed, although the heaviness of bowling balls has been stereotypically exaggerated in popular culture, it is often dismissed when considering the significance of bowling in sports (Horton, Dionigi, Gard, Baker, & Weir, 2018). Nonetheless, playing bowling requires significant physical strength, as well as high rates of flexibility and agility.
Moreover, it has been quite common to think of people playing bowling as those belonging solely to the working class and, possibly, lacking in education and the related skills and knowledge valued by the representatives of the upper classes. However, as my experience with bowling has shown, the specified statement could not be any further away from the truth. Since bowling is a fairly egalitarian sport, its teams are typically represented by every possible member of the local community, which suggests high rates of inclusivity and diversity. Moreover, reports state that bowling has been viewed as one of the few types of sport that allows uniting the community despite the differences in peoples social standing, economic status, and other characteristics (Carter-Francique & Richardson, 2016). Therefore, the opinion that bowling teams are composed of people of low intelligence or social status is entirely erroneous.
Conclusion
Despite the emphasis on the contribution of individual players to the victory of the team, bowling has defined my idea of a community and peer support, at the same time having introduced me to a system of beliefs that has shaped my perception of physical prowess and agility. Apart from being a very entertaining and an admittedly addictive kind of sport, bowling has helped me to shape my identity and contribute to the development of communication skills. Moreover, it has served as the platform for introducing me to the idea of a community of supportive people, the notion of integrity, and the spirit of comradery. Thus, bowling has turned out to be quite rich in culture, mainly due to its accessibility to nearly anyone. Bowling as a culture has helped me to transcend the boundaries of social classes, leading to an increased awareness of the communities, a part of which I have never been.
References
Carter-Francique, A. R., & Richardson, F. M. (2016). Controlling media, controlling access: The role of sport media on black womens sport participation. Race, Gender & Class, 23(1-2), pp. 7-33.
Harrison, C. K., Bukstein, S., Sutton, W. A., McArdle, D. H., Dickens, J., & Lawrence, S. M. (2018). A qualitative investigation of academic and athletic brand representations: Applying Lovemarks theory to cultural symbol. Journal of Higher Education Athletics & Innovation, 1(5), pp. 15-36.
Horton, S., Dionigi, R. A., Gard, M., Baker, J., & Weir, P. (2018). Dont sit back with the geraniums, get out : The complexity of older womens stories of sport participation. Journal of Amateur Sport, 4(1), pp. 24-51.
Tomlinson, A. (2019). Sociology of sport. In G. Ritzer & W. Wiedenhoft Murphy (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Sociology (pp. 460-476). Wiley.
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