Quote by George Orwell, Shooting an Eleph
Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules, and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words it is war minus the shooting.
Summary
This quote suggests that true competitive sports are not driven by principles of fairness or sportsmanship. It argues that sports involve extreme emotions such as hatred, jealousy, and boastfulness. It further claims that athletes often disregard the rules and derive sadistic pleasure from witnessing violence, likening sports to a form of warfare without actual physical harm. The quote challenges the idealized notion of sports as a fair and honorable activity, instead highlighting the aggressive and dark aspects that can be involved in highly competitive settings.