Let's Talk (Purple) Turkey

How Pittsburgh Steelers Fans Can Save Your Thanksgiving

Nov 20, 2024

TLDR: Social science, history, and Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans show the serious power of play.

Note 1: I use a football anecdote to make a greater point. Get through that, ole sport, and you’ll see the game I’m playing ;) .

heres a vid of me reading the damn thang:

Okay, on to the musings…

It’s 1975. The United States is reeling from the Vietnam War, grappling with stagflation, disillusioned by Watergate, and navigating an energy crisis. The country feels divided, weary, and, in many ways, ready to throw in the towel.

But in Pittsburgh, fans of the Steelers are picking up a very different towel. Amid a city defined by grit and resilience, Pittsburgh broadcaster Myron Cope had a rallying idea: bring dish towels—preferably black and gold—to the playoff games. These makeshift "Terrible Towels" soon became a unifying symbol, energizing fans and players alike, and propelling the Steelers to unprecedented success, becoming the first team to win 4 Super Bowls in the span of 6 years.

I asked some of my football aficionados to describe Steeler fans. Some responses: “Intense and tough but I respect it” and “Omg- the craziest fans.”

Then, out of curiosity, I asked the internet, “What are the political leanings of the Steelers fans?” thinking I might get a big swing in one direction. And you know what? Despite all that black and gold, these hoes are purple A.F. Seriously, almost exactly 50-50. And yet… there they are, swinging their terrible towels and going for glory– together.

In a country that feels even more politically divided than in the 1970s and beyond, what the heck is going on in Pittsburgh?

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Over a century of research has shown that a surefire way of overcoming (even if just temporarily) fundamental differences is through two methods: war and… you guessed it… games.

An example of the former: during the 1970s, while Terrible Towels twirled in Pittsburgh, young men from across America were drafted to fight in Vietnam. Veterans frequently recount how the shared stress of combat forged lifelong friendships among people of diverse backgrounds, united by the immediate goal of protecting each other. Throw back even further to WWI, when the U.S. fought alongside… Russia?! Yeah.

War creates what social scientists call a “superordinate goal” which is an objective that is preeminently important to multiple groups or individuals BUT cannot be achieved by any one group or individual working alone. Superordinate goals transcend the individual interests or immediate priorities of smaller groups, thereby diminishing prejudice and fostering unity.

And, for many Americans, the ultimate goal is the field goal.

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If you know me, you may be a little confused: when did Emuse become an NFL queen? Firstly, anything is fair game when everything is in your domain #queenoffuckingeverything. Secondly, because: I care. I’ve got a big brain and a big heart and a pretty-average-sized body brimming with big soul…

A cohesive and dynamic graphic featuring a confident woman wearing a crown symbolizing empowerment and creativity, with integrated NFL-themed elements like footballs and helmets forming part of her crown and attire. A glowing brain and heart are subtly woven into the design, representing intellect and compassion, while radiant, soulful energy waves flow around her. The scene is artistic and modern, blending these elements seamlessly into one visually captivating composition, with abstract patterns tying everything together.

^^^Chat GPT is quite ABREAST of the size of my soul… lol aka nice tits, Avatar!

I see a lot of people reeling from the election and in full on rejection of people across the political aisle. People are literally sick at the mere thought of seeing their [insert political party you detest the most] family members next week.

Listen, I get it. For as long as I can remember, my family has always been staunchly diverse politically. I’ve witnessed a-many heated debates between people I love and respect that near-on ruin the entire day for everyone at dinner. (Although low-key everyone LOVED it when my Obama-loving grandma– shout out, Dotsie, RIP– would give the Republicans at the table the finger and tell them to “Take gas”).

Over the past few years, however, even as our personal political leanings have gotten even more out-of-sync, my family is closer than ever. Why? Well, we have at least two superordinate goals which take precedence over who’s president:

Family: With the dawn of the next generation, my siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, extended family are all united by the honor and duty of raising the young ones to be good people. I don’t talk politics with my niece. We don’t really talk, in fact. We paint and dance and sing and laugh and play, which brings me to my sneaky goal 2:
Games: In high school, when I was starting to come in to my own politically and kind of couldn’t stand the debates anymore, I subconsciously employed the Steeler strategy. I’d take command of the fam and get everyone to play a game: charades, Headbands, Cards Against Humanity, homemade Jeopardy, mafia, sing-a-longs, whiffle ball… you name it, we played it. And let me tell you: we love it. I realize now that this was a coping mechanism, and it has had lasting effect. Now, no holiday is complete without some sort of game or group activity. Structured fun has gotten slightly more difficult with the presence of toddlers, but we still always try something.

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I firmly believe: there are more things that unite us than divide us. I know, sometimes these things are hard to find, especially when the differences are so salient and acute.

If you’re worried about connecting with family next week, don’t throw in the terrible towel.

Instead, my advice, and the advice of Pittsburgh fans, is: rally around a game.

They may not erase our differences entirely, but they can give us the superordinate goal benefits without having to go to actual war (which I know feels like such a real threat to so many of us, myself included.)

When political debates start to swirl around the table, start to swirl your internal Terrible Towel. How are you and your loved ones on the same team? Does it seem like there’s no answer to this question? Well, then, literally make yourselves on the same team! Don’t walk away from the table– instead, bring a game to it.

It’s science, y’all. This Thanksgiving, give yourselves a superordinate goal, and you may also find yourselves giving thanks. So make sure you bring dessert… and maybe a deck of cards.