Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 15:31:41 -0700
From: Patrick Crosby <pcrosby-AT-ieee.org>
Subject: Re: Wacquant on boxing


For whatever it may be worth, I personally know of one case that is completely
atypical of the profile you outline. I haven't seen him in over ten years, but
he used to live in LA. (He was what is called an "aspiring actor"--- he had one
or two minor TV roles, nothing major. Also loved Shakespeare. I think his
father sent him money to cover essential living expenses, but not much more
than that). He was blue-eyed, blonde, and his father was a banker in Alabama.
He used to have a Confederate Flag on his living room wall. While I don't know
that he harbored animosity toward black people or other minorities, he
definitely found caucasians to be superior aesthetically. And yes, this guy
boxed as a hobby. He said it helped him to work out his frustrations. One other
little tid bit: heavy drinker.

Elaine Power wrote:

> Oh my. Such inflammatory language.
>
> I've read some of Wacquant's work on boxing. I am definitely NOT a fan of
> boxing, but his work is fascinating and I've gone out of my way to read it
> in the past (and will definitely read the new book). My take on Loic
> Wacquant is that, in the best tradition of work influenced by Bourdieu, his
> deepest interest is in the 'unspeakable barbarisms' and violences of
> poverty and racism, particularly in the inner cities of the U.S., and
> boxing is one way to finding out about and understand that -  in an
> 'embodied' way. Since boxing is definitely a classed and raced activity,
> then you need to understand the context (in a Bourdieusian way) to
> understand its appeal.
>
> Please don't grind your personal ax against boxing on Wacquant's back. Read
> some of his work instead.
>
> Elaine Power
>
> >And so I ask, well, why would Lacquant subject himself to that?  If
> >he doesn't relish his own participation, then he's quite a trooper. And if
> >he does, then the appeal of this unspeakable barbarism for him demands
> >explanation.  And I think I'm entitled to an answer.
> >
>
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