The ethics of watching Qatar 2022
The World Cup shouldn’t be in Qatar. We all know why not: the human rights abuses, the suffering of workers, the FIFA corruption, the oppression of LGBTQ+ people… by now, it’s well-trodden ground. But should you watch the tournament on TV? Ethically, I think it’s ok. Here’s why.
First, the arguments against watching. These mostly concern the effect on aggregate viewing figures. Large TV audiences for Qatar 2022 will:
embolden FIFA to discount human rights when considering future bids;
successfully launder Qatar’s reputation, their main aim in hosting;
lead to profit for advertisers and sponsors.
This suggests there’s a case for opting out. But does individual action really make a difference? This question comes up a lot in climate ethics. There, I believe the answer is yes, but only for heavy emitters. An American who flies frequently for business could (and probably should) eliminate perhaps 20 tons of CO₂e by reducing this travel. A Lesothan farmer’s annual impact is nowhere near this, so he or she essentially has no footprint to reduce. The moral onus is almost entirely on the rich to change their harmful behaviours.
The other big impact of individual action is the social signal. By stopping needless flying, say, you send an ethical message – maybe we shouldn’t do this any more – that can encourage others to do the same. In climate action this is powerful: heavy emitters’ friends and peers are typically heavy emitters too, meaning this signal can have large collective effects if it changes others’ behaviours.
Watching the World Cup is different. The differences between individuals are negligible, which makes the case for individual action weaker. Other than the minor difference in value to advertisers, one fewer viewer is just one fewer viewer: there will still be 3.5bn people watching the final, whether you’re in that number or not. Same goes for the social signal. You may convince a few others to join your boycott, but there’s no opportunity for outsized impact as there is with climate. If you choose not to watch, the consequences will be very minor.
Now, the arguments for watching. The strongest is the most obvious: you enjoy it. Don’t underestimate how important that is. Pleasure is central to almost any ethical definition of well-being; some ethicists even say it’s the only thing that’s good for you, although these days that’s a minority view.
The other big benefit is cultural. For all the World Cup’s flaws, I think there is still something meaningful and culturally valuable about bringing the world together in competition. It’s a chance to learn more about other countries and cultures, even if it’s just whether they employ a high press or a low block. It’s a chance to explore shared loves amid our differences. Admittedly I’m flirting with misty-eyed idealism here, but in our era of isolation and nationalism, a world uniting around a simple game is surely a good thing.
Of course, it’s your decision. You may say it’s the principle of the thing that matters, and you feel an obligation to boycott. Or perhaps you feel the climate impact of such a massive tournament is indefensible. And sure, if those arguments weigh heavily on you, I won’t tell you you’re wrong. I've ignored that perspective on ethics in favour of examining the consequences of the decision. I do think, however, a TV boycott certainly isn’t ethically required, and is probably being too hard on yourself.
Ethics shouldn’t be an act of self-flagellation. We should all stop doing really harmful things, of course, but moral perfection is asking too much. In practice, being an ethical person is about trying to live a bit better each day, making progress toward the values and aspirations you have of your future self.
The World Cup shouldn’t be in Qatar. We should recognise and speak out against the suffering it has caused. We should discuss the awful LGBTQ+ stance of the hosts, while recognising that British football has deep problems with homophobia too. But if you enjoy the World Cup and want to support your team at home, I think it’s ok to watch Qatar 2022.
