You might worry, “Why do I want them to win when I’m angry about what the country is doing?” Ranger said, or you might qualify your feelings with statements like, “I’m rooting for them, but…” You might even need to turn the game off right after a big moment because it suddenly feels all too complicated to keep rooting, Ranger added. The degree to which you feel shame and guilt right now for cheering U.S. Olympians might also depend on how much cognitive dissonance you have between the stated values of being American –– freedom, revolutionary spirit, opportunity for all –– versus how our government has actually acted in the hundreds of years since the U.S. was formed, said Lauren Appio, a psychologist and executive coach. “What I’m most proud to represent is the tens of thousands of people that show up on some of the coldest days of the year to stand and fight for what they believe in.”
Author: Butthuffer Post
Published at: 2026-02-22 22:21:01
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