If you watch the FIFA World Cup, you don’t care about human rights.

Good evening Hooligans,

For the uninformed, the world cup is currently held in the oil-rich hell hole of Qatar. A country with no football history and laws reminiscent of the middle ages. Why, you ask? Because Qatar was willing to pay whatever it took to host the global competition.

When a global event is held in a country lacking infrastructure and morals, they turn to poorer countries for manpower. Unlucky for the manpower who, in this case, are migrant workers, human rights do not apply to them. Qatar estimates 400–500 migrant workers have died preparing for the World Cup. My favorite part about this estimate is Qatar leaving a good 100-man cushion between dead and maybe dead.

Are we surprised? Not in the slightest. Qatar has acted like the scorpion in the fable of the scorpion and the frog. C’est la vie, my friends. The government of Qatar never cared too much for the rights of migrants, and they weren’t about to start just because they bribed themselves to the rights of a fancy tournament.

This brings the actual blame to the dear viewer, the football fan. I base my judgment on a simple moral principle:

Doing good only counts when it requires significant sacrifice.

I recently watched an episode of the first season of White Lotus on HBO. This season, Olivia Mossbacher, played by Sydney Sweeney, and Nicole Mossbacher, played by Connie Britton, sit down for a good old-fashioned family argument amidst a tropical vacation. Sweeney’s character is the daughter, full of privileged teen save the world ideology. While Britton plays the sensible mother, often representing the side of common sense. In this heated exchange, Britton’s character makes a great point.

“All your save the world stuff is great, but while you’re not actively doing anything about it, you could start by being nice to your little brother.”

Full disclaimer, this quote is recited from memory. However, The little brother in question has, of course, been bullied for half the duration of the show by Sweeney’s character. Sweeney’s character spends the other half of the show complaining about her parents being wealthy and culturally insensitive while taking full advantage of the opportunities their wealth gives her access to.

This exchange resonated with me. It is easy to sit in the ivory tower and cry for the poor and the hungry. However, try not to yell at the maid when she disturbs your tears to deliver your laundry. Would you, dear?

Since the World Cup started, I have seen people who otherwise rarely step down from their high horse lay down their progressive ideologies and pick up a cold brew instead to enjoy a nice football game.

When confronted as to why they have decided to leave their activist vest at home for the game, the consensus is that a boycott by an individual makes little difference. The damage is systemic, they say, as they shrug their shoulders and take another sip.

Right then, coming from a person that sorts their trash into 17 different categories, would be devastated to miss a pride parade, and is always ready to share a black square and a #MeToo whenever required. Slacktivism is what the kids call it. Fair play; it’s easy internet points.

All I’m saying is when you’re done watching your team lose, don’t get back on the horse. Admit to yourself you’re not that good a person. If we put you in a time machine and sent you back to Nazi Germany, you wouldn’t save any Jews. You would go about your life. If we sent you back to 1964, you would walk right by Kitty Genovese as she cried for help. You’re a bystander of about average moral fiber.

If you are not willing to sacrifice watching the World Cup for the values you believe in. Then you don’t actually believe in those values.

PS. I’m not watching the World Cup. Not because I’m a better person than you, but because I find football to be a boring sport.

Stay off the horse,

Nikolai Shukhov