Why do so many root for "underdogs"?

I've never understood peoples compulsion to seemingly automatically root for the side or person they see as the "underdog"? The only exceptions being where money is at stake like betting on horse races. I feel nothing special about "underdogs".

 

Because it reminds us that the common man can 'win'.

We like to see people just like us, strive and get somewhere. It's pleasing to our sense of equality.

 

Well I have no interest whatsoever in "equality" so I guess that's why I can't abide feeling that way.

 

Really? That's unusual .. most people do.

Of course some don't understand what it means. Some don't realise it really means meritocracy ... where we all have access to opportunity, but what we do with it beyond that is on us. That's true equality - where only our individual efforts matter ... not the colour of our skin, or where we grew up, or how much money our parents had or didn't have.

 

I'm unusual then but part of why I don't give a rats ass about "equality" is that it is largely in the eye of the beholder and isn't truly quantifiable without prejustice.

 

Because Russia is such a big bully so people naturally want Ukraine to win.

 

I think it's quantifiable. Things like public education, public healthcare, free university for in-demand courses, etc. These things remove all excuses for failure, and so are great equalisers. When all are in place, it's VERY easy to see who the slackers are. They're the ones still 'failing' in spite of all these boons.

Equality is incredibly important, for this reason alone. But when it comes with a side order of potential for even the poorest to get ahead (because a meritocracy allows that, unlike a system of prejudice like AA etc), it's even more important again.

 

I don't give a rats ass whether the "poor" get ahead or not. I was in a family of poultry growers and I and all my sisters succeeded quite well.

 

I simply hate all Russians and want as many of them dead as possible.

 

The best way to defeat Russians is to marry their wives while they're off fighting wars. Ask Napoleon he knew how to fight Russians he just got distracted.

 

Napoleon is overrated.

 

Because underdog story is captivating. David Vs Goliath.

I am an intellectual Goliath and people are waiting for an intellectual David to debate my dangerous mind and win.

 

Missing the obvious. God was on David's side so if anything he was the favorite.

 

God is omnipotent and knows everything.

the vast majority of the people watching the fight thought David would lose.

 

many people like bullies. over 70 million of them in the last president election. most of those same people are rooting for russia.

 

Well, I can explain to you my reason. I am afraid an imbalance might occur, and so I am loathe to see any side completely lose.
Every side tends to have some obvious excesses, which only a balance can curtail.

 

It is my experience that one of the biggest difference between the liberal and conservative mindset is that liberals tend to root for the underdog, whereas conservatives tend to root for the winner. That's why liberals generally support policies that help the poor, whereas conservatives tend to vote for policies that help the rich.

Why? Because liberals can picture themselves in the position of the underdog (i.e. how it is in someone else's shoes who is less fortunate), whereas conservatives tend to picture themselves in the shoes of the winner.

Okay, so much for my amateur, sitting-on-the-couch attempt at psychology.

Of course, the real reason is that it gets REALLY tiresome to watch Tom Brady win.

 

What an odd statement...
Do you hate the Russian government or the Russian people?...

 

Both. You really cannot separate the two.

 

To me Napoleon was a French pig who didn't have the decency to leave other nations alone. He was no different from Hitler and Stalin.

I hate the current Russian Government, and I am very disappointed by the Russian people. They had their chance to be good citizens of the world, and they blew it because of their ridiculous nationalism. There was nothing to admire about the old Soviet Union. It should be never be reconstructed, which Putin's goal.

 

I can be for of some underdogs, but oddly enough, I don't care for sports teams that ruin perfect seasons. It takes a lot of work and dedication to come close to an undefeated season. I don't root for underdogs who spoil that. The year the New York Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl comes to mind after the Patriots had had a perfect season.

 

Because we can sell more weapons to the underdog.

 

What makes you think this has a thing to do with any war?

 

I like Tom Brady a great deal.

 

You don't know much about the people of Russia.