The Olympic Paradox: Cheering Athletes While Questioning Government
As American athletes compete for medals at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, a profound psychological tension grips many citizens back home. The simultaneous pride in athletic achievement and discomfort with federal policies creates what psychologists identify as cognitive dissonance—a state of mental conflict when holding contradictory beliefs or values.
When National Pride Collides With Political Reality
This psychological whiplash has become particularly acute as U.S. Olympians represent a nation whose government policies continue to generate controversy. Skier Hunter Hess articulated this ambivalence when he stated, "Wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything going on in the U.S." His comments drew sharp criticism from former President Donald Trump, who labeled him a "real loser" for expressing these reservations.
"There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of," Hess explained, capturing the sentiment shared by many athletes and spectators alike. This tension between celebrating athletic excellence and confronting political realities has become so pervasive that therapists report it as a recurring theme in clinical practice.
The Psychological Toll of Conflicting Loyalties
"Cognitive dissonance isn't just 'having mixed feelings,'" explained Tanisha Ranger, a clinical psychologist based in Nevada. "It's a psychological state that happens when someone holds two conflicting beliefs or values at the same time, or they are engaging in behaviors that contradict their values."
Los Angeles-based clinical social worker Aimee Monterrosa noted that this conflict has become increasingly common in therapeutic settings. "As we continue to witness national and global atrocities in real time...it can trigger feelings of guilt, despair, shame, anger," she observed.
Ranger elaborated on how this tension manifests: "Our brains don't like inconsistency, so it searches for ways to reduce that tension. Oftentimes, not [in] the healthiest of ways."
Physical and Emotional Manifestations
The psychological conflict often translates into physical symptoms. Monterrosa identified several common manifestations:
- Tightness in neck, shoulder, or jaw areas
- Digestive issues
- Sleep disturbances
- A sensation of "tightening in your chest or stomach"
Ranger described the emotional experience as "a weird mix of excitement and discomfort at the same time" that occurs when "you realize you're cheering and cringing simultaneously."
Historical Context and Individual Variation
Psychologist and executive coach Lauren Appio contextualized this phenomenon within American history. "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."
Appio noted that some individuals experience minimal cognitive dissonance because "they have already been exposed to the difference between what America claims to be versus what it is." For these people, the gap between national ideals and government actions represents a long-standing reality rather than a new contradiction.
Athletes Leading the Conversation
Team USA hockey player Kelly Pannek has emerged as one of the most vocal athletes addressing this tension. Coming from the Minneapolis area, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have generated controversy, Pannek directly criticized what she called "unnecessary and just horrifying" actions by immigration enforcement.
"It's obviously really heavy," Pannek told NPR. "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."
Strategies for Navigating Cognitive Dissonance
Mental health professionals offer several approaches for managing this psychological tension:
- Acknowledge Complexity: "You can hold more than one truth at the same time," Ranger advised. "You can admire the discipline and sacrifice of the athletes, you can strongly disagree with government policy, [and] you can feel both pride and disgust without needing to collapse that into one 'correct' feeling."
- Focus on Individual Athletes: Appio suggested shifting attention from national symbols to personal stories. "If waving the American flag or chanting, 'USA!' makes us feel grossed out or ashamed, we can cheer for individual athletes. We can also learn more about their stories and the stories of athletes from around the world."
- Practice Mindfulness: Monterrosa emphasized basic self-care: "Don't forget to breathe, we are all just trying to take things one day at a time while navigating too many uncertainties."
- Engage in Meaningful Action: Monterrosa also recommended participating in mutual aid campaigns and educational efforts to "ease the feelings of dissonance and disconnection."
Embracing Nuance in a Polarized Climate
Therapists point to athletes like Pannek as exemplars of healthy engagement with this complexity. "They acknowledged the tension, named it, held the complexity without letting it topple them," Ranger observed. "It's the exact kind of nuance most people run from but really need to embrace."
Ranger concluded with a powerful insight: "They showed that it's absolutely possible to honor and exalt human effort and accomplishment without having to pretend that the political context doesn't exist."
As the Olympic Games continue, this psychological balancing act remains a defining feature of the American spectator experience—a testament to the complex relationship between national identity, athletic achievement, and political reality in contemporary society.
