Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 14:20:39 -0600 (MDT)
Subject: Re: Edward W. Said: The president and the baseball player  (fwd)



I thought the most compelling and insightful part of Said's piece was how
he called attention to US political cultural forms as professionalized
spectator sports, upon which our moral (religious, ideological) judgments
are brought to bear in sideline debates among each other, but can never
really effect the structure or rules of the game itself.  The other thing
I thought was valuable was the comparison between politics and "America's" 
national sport.  Decades since local politics and local sport have ceased
to provide civil forums for bonding, expressing and perhaps resolving
conflicts, investing time and loyalty, leaving only megacorporations which
siphon resources from consumers, there remains an appalling golden glow of
nostalgia for the simplicity of domination and isolationism.   Worse,
consumers queue up to pay their part for the privilege of witnessing
whatever spectacle is delivered up to them, in order to have "informed
viewpoints" from which to issue judgments, and thereby take part in the
golden glow.

I'm afraid I didn't follow all of the points made by the following
contributor, but maybe we're on similar tracks.  



On Thu, 24 Sep 1998, Iqbal Haider Butt wrote:

> Wonder why "the sociability' of the issue is over blown here; American
> President does not give in his whole person to the oath. Or, we ready to
> extend this 'social' property to the telephone company that may well have
> concieved their new commercial as yet, showing both the models: "Work and Life
> go together."
> 
> Said's comments about the essence of America as being 'the most religious and
> ideological country on earth" need our attention. When citizenship is driven
> by certain moral assumptions despite their acclaimed excluion from the policy
> and denial of without-rationality-matters will intensify the split between the
> social and the private. Who would endure the loss of enlightenment, going in
> one blow!
> 
> 
> AMIT K GHOSH wrote:
> 
> > i have to beg to differ about your opinion regarding this matter. i'm
> > strongly in favor of women's rights etc. however, this matter although
> > quite stupid is still a private matter in my opinion. now you may disagree
> > and that's fine.
> >
> > but let's not equate this to women's humiliation, powerful man--weak
> > intern stuff. monica sought influence (stupidly) and clinton sought
> > gratification (absurdly).
> >
> > lets not read more into it than that.
> >
> >      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
> 



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