My Little Observation Project This Week
So, I started this little project, more like an observation exercise, really. Saw that picture, you know, Charley Hull having a cigarette during the U.S. Women’s Open. It caught my eye, not because of the smoking itself, but the reaction it kicked off. My goal, my practice for the day, was just to dive into that reaction, see what people were actually saying, unfiltered.
First thing I did was just open up a few different browser tabs. Went straight to the usual places, social media, some golf forums I lurk on sometimes. Didn’t really have a plan, just started scrolling. You see the picture, then boom, the comments section just explodes. It was kinda wild.
What I Noticed Right Away
- A whole lot of people clutching their pearls, acting like they’d never seen an athlete smoke before.
- Then you had the defenders, saying “let her live,” “it’s her business,” “doesn’t affect her game.”
- Some folks tried to get all technical, talking about fitness and role models.
I spent a good hour just reading through threads. It wasn’t about judging her, Charley Hull, I mean. It was about watching the watchers. The immediate jump to opinions, the arguments back and forth. It reminded me of stuff from years ago, honestly. Different athlete, different ‘scandal’, same kind of noise.
Digging a Bit Deeper
After soaking in the immediate reactions, I tried looking a bit further. Searched for articles, see what the sports writers were saying. More measured, mostly, but still framed around the “controversy.” It’s like we need these little dramas.
My main takeaway from this whole exercise? People love having an opinion, especially online. And athletes? They’re put on this weird pedestal. One cigarette, and suddenly it’s a whole debate about health, image, what women should or shouldn’t do. It’s exhausting just reading it, imagine being the person involved.
My Final Thoughts on This Practice
It was interesting, that’s for sure. Didn’t really ‘achieve’ anything, other than confirming what I already suspected. We build people up, then jump on anything that doesn’t fit the perfect image. Charley Hull was just playing golf, had a smoke. Happens. But the internet? That turned it into a whole spectacle. My practice ended there, just observing the noise machine do its thing. Kinda makes you think about what we focus on, you know?
