I was sitting in the stands at a game last weekend, just watching the atmosphere, and I found myself staring at the jerseys of the players on the field. It hit me how much the visual landscape of sports has shifted in just the last decade. I remember being a kid, watching games on Saturday mornings, and the uniforms felt like these iconic, almost untouchable symbols of a school or a city. There was a certain purity to it—you knew exactly who you were rooting for just by the colors and the crest.
But lately, it feels like every single square inch of the visual field is being auctioned off. It’s not just the stadium naming rights or the massive billboards encircling the field anymore; it’s moving onto the very fabric of the athletes themselves.
I’ve been wrestling with this idea of "sacred space" in culture. We all have these things that we consider part of our identity—our local teams, our traditions, the stuff that feels "ours" and isn't for sale. There’s a certain psychological comfort in knowing that some things remain untainted by the relentless push of commercialism. When you see a logo slapped onto a jersey, it feels less like a partnership and more like an intrusion. It’s like the brand is wearing the team’s colors, rather than the team just being a vehicle for the brand.
I’m not a total Luddite about money, obviously. I get it—sports are expensive. Facilities need upgrades, scholarships need funding, and travel costs are astronomical. I understand that massive corporations have deep pockets and that these partnerships are often the lifeblood of modern athletic departments. If a deal helps build a better training center or provides resources for student-athletes that wouldn't exist otherwise, it’s hard to argue against the "greater good" of the program.
However, I can't help but wonder where we draw the line. If we allow corporations to stitch themselves into the very identity of the players, what’s left that is purely about the sport or the community? At what point does a team stop being a representative of a community and start being a mobile billboard for a multinational conglomerate?
I look at it from a psychological perspective too. There’s a subtle shift in how we perceive loyalty. When a brand becomes part of the uniform, the relationship changes from "I support this team" to "I am consuming this brand's association with this team." It blurs the lines of authenticity. I’ve noticed it in other areas of life too—streaming services, social media, even the way we interact in public spaces. Everything feels increasingly transactional.
I had a friend who used to collect vintage jerseys. He has a whole room dedicated to them. He was looking at a piece from the 80s the other day and pointed out how "clean" it looked. He wasn't talking about the design; he was talking about the lack of clutter. To him, the jersey was a canvas for history, not a real estate opportunity.
I guess my dilemma is this: are we witnessing the inevitable evolution of sports in a hyper-capitalist world, or are we slowly eroding the soul of what makes these institutions special? Is there a way to accept the necessary funding without losing the "spirit" of the game, or is the commercialization a one-way street that eventually leads to total brand saturation?
Do you think there’s a "tipping point" where commercial integration goes too far and actually starts to devalue the brand or the team itself?
crimsonhound80 said:Yeah, and people actually label them as "indigo" children or "hyperactive." 🤮
I have a buddy—my best man—who has one of these "indigo" geniuses, and let me tell you, the kid doesn't have a shred of respect for his parents, even though both of them are professional educators here in the States.
His other son is perfectly fine, raised under the exact same circumstances, without any "discipline."
When I look at that little guy, I see nothing but pure mischief in his eyes; 🤣 he’s manipulative, cunning, and he knows exactly how to exploit his parents' kindness and manners.
If you ask me, he wouldn't be an "indigo" child—he'd just be a brat who needs some discipline.
Look, not every horse is meant for a saddle, and not every person can handle the truth, but sometimes you have to rein a horse in with a firm hand because, well, it's a HORSE—it just doesn't understand any other way of communicating.
A kid gets slapped here and there, maybe just a smack on the butt, and the parents act like it’s no big deal because "it's just skin, it doesn't have a soul." How is that even okay? I mean, my dad (or mom, whatever) hit me, but they loved me, right? So now that I'm grown up, I figure I'll give my own kid a little discipline too—because that's just how it works. Look, physical punishment might not be heaven-sent, but it definitely gets passed down from generation to generation!😍stubborn as a mule😉
Look, I know up until now I’ve mostly just been vocal about being against physical discipline, but let me give you a real-world example involving my own kid... because don't go thinking she was some perfect little angel. When she was about two and a half or three, she had this nasty little habit of occasionally swatting her grandma whenever she was told "no." And believe me, she never, ever laid a hand on anyone else—at least not in our house. My mother-in-law actually thought it was funny! She’d just laugh it off, while I was sitting there absolutely losing my mind. Now, I get it—some parents, after giving a million verbal warnings that just aren't working, might feel tempted to swing back just to show them how it feels. But here’s what I did: I sat my mother-in-law down and told her straight up that it wasn't okay to laugh at it, and that she needed to be the one to firmly tell the kid to stop—even if she had to say it twenty times in a row. She didn't exactly love being lectured by her daughter-in-law, but honestly? It worked. Between my persistence and hers, the child eventually just stopped doing it. All I'm saying is that you need an insane amount of patience—not just with the kids, but with everyone involved in raising them.
Casey Wright4 said:For stuff like that, you go with consequences—limiting privileges or taking things away—not hitting them. If she swiped some candy, say, her mom should have just said, "No trips to Target for a bit," and actually explained why. Or maybe a temporary ban on sweets, again, with a clear explanation. If a kid doesn't even have the cognitive capacity to tell right from wrong yet, then punishment—especially physical punishment—is useless. At that stage, the only thing that actually works is distraction.
I'm signing my name to every single word of this.👍
Quote; It’s great to talk to kids, sure, but if they just aren't hearing you, then they aren't hearing you. This is exactly what I mean. What was her mom supposed to do? Just sit there and lecture her for the 500th time? Kids haven't developed those higher-level reasoning skills yet—you know, that whole "cause and effect" logic adults use. That comes later.
It isn't just "nice" to do, it's absolutely necessary! Look, if you have to repeat the same damn thing ten times, then you do it. I'll say it again: parents just don't have the time or the patience these days. Kids aren't born little delinquents; they turn out that way for a reason, and if we don't step in early, well, mothers will be left picking up the pieces later! A three or four-year-old might not think like a fully grown adult, but they can definitely tell the difference between a firm, authoritative "NO" and some weak, half-hearted, pathetic "no."
Morgan Cooper34 said:Go read the thread about violent children. Personally, I've sat there and watched kids slap, spit at, and scream at their parents while the mother just crouches down next to them saying, "Oh honey, we don't do that." Those kids grow up to be delinquents.
As for that bolded part, I was talking about parental statements and parental actions. In the sense that you truly never know how a single critique, a smack, or even just a harsh tone might wreck a child's self-esteem and shape their future behavior.
John Parker5—you're comparing spanking a kid for every little thing to "major" offenses. Take me, for example. I got my first real beating when I swiped candy from a convenience store for the fourth time. I was four years old. For the first three times, my mom tried the gentle approach—"Sweetie, that's not right, that's not okay." But honestly? If she hadn't laid the hammer down on that fourth time, I probably would've kept stealing.
Parents have to be authoritative. They need to stand firm behind their decisions, their reasoning, and their punishments. Kids are incredibly strong personalities—way stronger than we give them credit for. In most cases, kids with parents who lack authority grow up to be criminals. It’s a massive, complex issue... we could easily link this back to the Violent Kids thread. And yeah, I'm sensitive about the small stuff because, quite frankly, I'm against corporal punishment.
It’s totally unacceptable when a man hits a woman, or if a woman hits a man... but apparently, it's perfectly fine to lay a hand on a child?! Give me a break! The irony is just unreal..
Look, parents these days are way too soft on their kids. Most of them are so slammed with work they don't have the patience for deep, meaningful conversations, so they just resort to a quick swat to get things under control—it’s like a shortcut to peace and quiet. In my opinion, kids today are definitely worse than previous generations, but you can't blame that on a lack of discipline. No, blame it on the parents who say stuff like, "Leave me alone, I'm busy," or "Just watch cartoons, I don't have time to play right now." So, what happens? Kids start acting out in every way possible, whether they realize it or not, just to get some attention from their parents.
Ladies, look at it this way: imagine if your husband or boyfriend laid a hand on you every single time you lied about being at work when you actually spent those six or seven hours grabbing coffee with a friend. Or guys, picture your wife losing her cool and hitting you because you were busy grilling fish and accidentally torched her favorite rosebush in the yard. Do you think you’d deserve a physical hit, or just a really intense, heated argument? Now, take all that and imagine how a child feels when they get struck by the one person they love more than anything in the world... p.s. I know these examples are pretty basic, but honestly, nothing else popped into my head right then. 😁
Kids are people too... adults are people too... so if you think it's okay for kids to get hit—maybe even by their own siblings—then why don't you go ahead and pick one up and keep them right where you can reach them at all times? Why? Because when you screw up, or your husband does, or your boyfriend, or your brother, or your dad, or your mom... someone needs to be there to deal with it. Maybe then they'll actually learn something! Since people are supposed to learn through experience while they're still alive, right? 🙂.. By the way, maybe try taking a little time to reflect on yourselves too, just so you don't forget who you are and end up making the same mistakes again.
My parents never once laid a hand on me. Not once. My kid is pushing ten now, and she has never felt my physical force—and she never will, no matter what kind of trouble she gets into. Look, there are ways to discipline, there are consequences you can implement that actually work. Because of how I was raised, I have nothing but respect for my own parents to this day. My daughter knows just how lucky she is because her mom doesn't hit her. And you want to know how I know? She tells me. All the time. She talks about how she and her friends discuss it at school. And honestly? It’s heartbreaking. There are way too many parents out there who think they need to lash out physically just to "make a point." From everything my daughter tells me, kids don't actually learn why they shouldn't do something; they just learn to fear the next time they get smacked. They aren't learning respect; they're living in terror. That’s why they hide bad grades. That’s why they spiral into depression. That’s why they hide things like teen pregnancies until it's too late and they end up making desperate, fatal decisions—just to avoid being beaten by their parents. 👎... Is that really what being a parent is supposed to be? Plus, I know someone who is the first one to swing on her kid, even though she grew up in a house where she was constantly hit herself. You do the math.
Karen Adams2 said:Oh, sweetie, I am seriously so happy you’re feeling better! 😍Right now, I’ve been taking one pill twice a day—you know, once in the morning and once at night. Plus, I've been rubbing some St. John's Wort oil on everything.😁.
So basically, I just went ahead and prescribed myself this therapy. I mean, I heard people talking about taking it this way, but I wasn't 100% sure... anyway, I just got home from work tonight feeling totally upbeat and pain-free😁... I honestly can't even describe how stoked I am😁😁😁😍... I really hope it stays like this. I know it won't just vanish forever, but whatever, this feels amazing!👍
Karen Adams2 said:Hey everyone! I've been MIA for a bit, but I finally had some time to focus on myself and these Detralex pills. Honestly, they actually worked and I finally feel okay!!! I'm planning to stick with them for the next 6 months, just like my doctor ordered, so hopefully everything stays on track. 👍Chance, don't lose hope!
Hey! I haven't been around for a while either, but I gotta say, after struggling with this for six long years, I'm finally feeling some real relief too... I'm on the Detralex therapy as well, and I've been pairing it with a herbal gel cream to strengthen my vein walls. It's a killer combo.👍Just please tell me, once you finish that first box (assuming you followed the prescribed hemorrhoid treatment mentioned), how many of those pills are you taking per day?
analogheron78 said:sorry... but what's wrong with you... I mean, most people... you can go ahead and gorge yourself on those things if you want... I'm sure they work... but only if the situation is absolutely unbearable... I only reach for a pill when it's a total last resort... I'm actually on a lifelong therapy regimen because of allergies and some kind of bronchitis... but even then, I only take the meds when it's an emergency (usually during peak allergy season) I've been dealing with flu and cold headaches for 3 years now... all that stuff comes and goes... but zero pills for me... Just so we don't drift off-topic... On Tuesday night, I met this girl (honestly shocked she even had hemorrhoids in the first place) who actually cured them—like, they just receded... just by changing her diet... she gave me the short version of how she did it... but I'm seeing her again in a few days so she can give me the full breakdown... Better to prevent it than to treat it😉
Can you share that with us later? Some of us are still suffering miserably from hemorrhoids.😢
Kate Edwards17 said:So, I went through this whole thread from the very top, but honestly, I’m not any wiser 😛 so I’ve got a few questions for you "experts" out there...😉😁 I don't feel (or at least I can't find) any actual lumps around my backside, but it's been itching like crazy for weeks now, and lately, it's started burning too. No blood in my stool though. I have a desk job, but I try to stay active as much as possible. Following your advice, I've been washing with just plain water and I even bought some aloe vera ointment and that propolis stuff, but nothing's working so far. So, am I actually dealing with hemorrhoids or what?! A friend of mine who had surgery says I definitely have internal ones, but from what I've read, people usually deal with bleeding and other symptoms that I'm just not seeing—or maybe it hasn't reached that stage yet?! I just read about that old-school remedy—eating pumpkin seeds every day—so I'm heading out to grab some right now. Also, can you still get that Dolacain cream over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription?
It sounds like internal hemorrhoids to me. Sitting around all day just makes them worse... it might just be the beginning stages, but seriously, watch what you eat. Go talk to someone at a pharmacy and ask what cream they recommend—don't be shy about explaining what's going on. When it comes to this stuff, being embarrassed is your worst enemy!
Henry Baker64 said:I've got a quick question for you guys—I’ve been flipping through a few pages here and haven't seen anything like this mentioned yet, so... here goes nothing.
So, basically, So, I was in the restroom earlier and noticed some blood on the toilet paper. It’s bright red, not dark, which I guess is supposed to mean something, right? But there's a ton of it—like, enough that I can't even wipe because it just keeps coming. This has been going on for a few days now. Seriously, it's getting ridiculous. I took a look in the mirror and, man, I saw this scratch or like a split in the skin right on my butt. It’s bleeding—or at least, that’s how it looks to me. Look, let's get one thing straight: nothing actually hurts. I’m not feeling any pain at all, and honestly, it isn't even bothering me—it doesn't bother me one bit. The only issue is seeing blood on the restroom paper!
Should I be freaking out? Is this actually hemorrhoids...?
I need help, seriously! Please, someone, give me a hand here!
Thanks. 😢
Look, sometimes there isn't even any pain at all, yet you still know the hemorrhoids are right there. Most of the time—at least from what I’ve gathered—the internal ones don't really bother you, unless they get seriously inflamed, then yeah, they start acting up too. But once those external ones flare up and grab hold? That’s when the pain gets intense. If you're stuck dealing with this stuff and you aren't sure what's actually going on, just go get checked out. Seriously. Don't overthink it; it's not some big scary ordeal, believe me. You'll be in and out of the doctor's office in no time.👍I've got both internal and external ones, and honestly, the internal ones just keep slipping out, so there you go. I have no clue how it varies from person to person—everyone's dealing with something different.😉Actually, it's more like I totally blanked on it...🤷
Quote: Just a quick heads-up: don't "quote" entire posts. If you're replying directly right below someone, there's no need to quote them at all. If it's not a direct reply, just delete everything unnecessary and leave only the specific part you're responding to! It’ll make this whole thread way easier to read...
Thanks for the tip, I've already fixed my formatting😁...What I meant was, my Detralex tablets are actually on their way from Mexico right now because they're about $10 more expensive here in the States, and when you're buying in bulk, that adds up fast. I've tried Detralex before, but only for a little while, so I didn't feel like they did much for me. Now I realize you actually have to stick with them consistently over a long period if you want to see any real results. My doctor's nurse has been using them for years with just tiny breaks, and she says her hemorrhoids are completely under control—so much so that she can actually relax and treat herself to some spicy sausages once in a while😁! Hopefully, we can all be that disciplined😛
Eric Chase12 said:Why the hell are we talking about UF?? It’s always about the SPRAYING!! The only question is whether it's external and if it burst in a way that the spray points downward—then you can actually see it (and hear it if it hits water!). It’s basic physics: a tiny little hole formed in a vessel under pressure—and look, the heart isn't just some random little pump, check a blood pressure monitor if you don't believe me!—so every time the heart beats, that pulsating pressure sends out a thin spray... Of course, it all depends on how thick the capillary that caused the hemorrhoid was. So here's the deal: find the little hole, press down hard, and the spraying stops, then after a bit of cooling down, everything's fine again! And I'll say it again: I honestly think those vein creams eventually toughen up the vessel walls, shrink them, and reduce the enlarged capillary, which is why they rarely burst! Maybe once every few months, but usually only after heavy lifting or a messed-up stomach. Oh, and I almost forgot!!! Those vein creams can sometimes "bite" and sting (especially at first), but it passes quickly, almost like an anesthetic... and hey, sometimes you just have to suck it up!
Please, just tell me which vein cream you actually know is good? I know there are Detralex tablets for veins too, so maybe I could combine them—taking the pills orally and using the ointment at the same time..