I don’t care what others think about us. I care what I think about us.
This is p!$$poor planning on so many levels. It embarrasses me.
P.S. Your he-man ads are getting old. You ought to come up with something new.
https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/psychology/why-do-we-get-secondhand-embarrassment
Vicarious embarrassment is when we can imagine ourselves in that embarrassing situation, and our ability to mentally take the place of the person who is actually in that situation is enough to spark the same physical reaction in us, regardless of whether we know the person or not. And the more empathetic a person you are, ultimately, the stronger this reaction tends to be.
I have zero of this feeling in this situation. Just like I had zero vicarious embarrassment when Obama or Biden were in the WH. I have nothing to do with the World Cup, FIFA, the planning and marketing effort to bring it to America, or soccer in general, or anyone or anything associated with that sport.
If it is a major success or a colossal disaster, I’ll drink my coffee and move on. Not my boat, not my charter.
Now, I understand pride in being an American, and being a fan of a sports club. But the World Cup or the “us” in this context is even more removed - it is a logistical matter, not even the matches or players. We are talking about the event planner…akin to whoever is setting up for a Taylor Swift concert in a baseball park, or coordinating a wedding reception in a ballroom, or a tech bro conference at a convention center. I have even LESS vicarious emotion with that logistical dimension.
Emotions are an effeminate vs masculine trait. There is a time and a place for emotions, like seeing your child get married or bringing your wife home after a successful medical recovery. The impending planning drama of the World Cup 2026 doesn’t rise to that level.