Whats it to do with me and why should I feel proud?

I was told that I was being unpatriotic by not supporting our national teams and olympians, this continues to confuse me and when I'm confused and don't understand something I tend to keep asking in the hope that I will get an answer I understand.

If there were international potato mashing contests I wouldn't enter, I don't like being surrounded by competitive people and anyway what some people call mash I think is a puree, mash is thick and can be dolloped, puree is thinner and can be piped.

I think not understanding and avoiding competition and competitiveness is something that many people don't understand and get really cross about, especially when they ask me to just play without any winning or losing pressure and I win, then they get upset because they lost to an uncompetitive newcomer.

I personally don’t like sport, it’s most probably because I was so terrible at it in school.

I do my work to a high standard, I like to do this to the best of my ability, not to be better than someone else.

I do find it annoying when tv schedules are altered to accommodate sport, there are 100’s of channels, why must main channels have to change schedules, I’m sure the people who want to watch sports would still do it on another channel. I like regular tv programs to be where they belong and at their usual times. I really don’t like things being moved.

Now, good mashed potato is an art, I remember school smash, it had the consistency of wallpaper paste, I’ve started adding finely chopped spring onion to mash, there is no end to my talent!

Too many people are really bad at mashed potatoe so I think you deserve a virtual medal for doing such a great job. Do you ever do cheesy mashed potatoe?? Great with baked beans and it’s like a de constructed jacket potatoe. 
I am competitive but with myself and would never be competitive with someone else. I think I would be embarrassed if I was trying to beat someone at sport and would probably let them win anyway. 

I'm generally as chill as a cucumber, completely lacking a competitive bone... until someone tries to look down on me or acts like a jerk. Then, suddenly, my inner competitive beast roars to life, and I absolutely must obliterate them. In a sports context, obviously. And trust me, I don't back down.

Activities that people like to watch, normally for entertainment, tend to pay well.  Advertisers know people will be looking.

If mashing potatoes was interesting entertainment, had a competitive element and a league table, people would watch and you could get paid. If you became world champion you might even get an award from the King as well as prize money.

If the prize money is enough then the best people in the world will come to challenge you. This will draw more spectators and online viewers and more advertising money to pay the prize. For you it is a job, for the spectators it is entertainment, for the advertisers it is business. It drives brand awareness and sales. If they don't get more sales they stop sponsoring potato mashing and sponsor something else their potential customers are likely to like.

I do not understand spectator sport at all. I also think that pride should be restricted to personal achievement, not someone else's achievement or even the achievement of a team of 'someone elses'. Pride in the achievements of family and close friends is OK, though.

I enjoy watching Wimbledon and I find the rhythm and sound of the balls being hit over the net soothing.

I don’t know who is expecting you to care about someone winning in any sport or to be proud of the winner(s), and you should be respected for not understanding competitiveness (assuming that you don’t really desire understanding), as we all have things that we like and dislike, and understand and don’t understand.  

I know some people would never cope with academia or researching things online. Sport is just a different thing that people do and enjoy, while competition gives some people an incentive to become the best at their sport. 

I don’t like football and avoid seeing anything of it, but I have noticed that after a big European or World win, there seems to be much joy and pride by fans, politicians and lots of individuals of the winning country. On the negative side, some individuals have politicised losses and wins by using the result to boost their sense of superiority or use it for propaganda. 

TheCatWoman said:

why am I expected to care when someone wins something

I don't think they care about you at all - they are just offering a feel good news article to the majority of people who have a passing interest in sport of those who feel pride in their countrypeoples success.

No need to rain on their parade over it. Live and let live and all that.