[lbo-talk] Liberalism

[Robert Wrubel]

Leftists can't be interested in sports because sports are too obviously like war.  That was the old argument.  Now sports are too obviously just like (or simply are) business.  Also sports are about local identifications, rather than universal, and at the highest level, about "nationalism", the worst form of false consciousness.  On the other hand, if you played hockey or baseball as a kid, it's hard to get over the fun of it.

   

  .

Chuck <chuck at mutualaid.org> wrote:

  Tayssir John Gabbour wrote:


> On the other hand, I've heard from activist Michael Albert that many
> leftists know almost nothing about things which their constituency
> likes, such as sports. Supposedly, many didn't even who Michael Jordan
> is. (!) Though I can hardly believe that last part about MJ; Michael
> Albert isn't that careful about details, so I'm not sure whether to
> believe it.

Based on my conversations with activists, I think that Albert is 
correct. I suspect that there are some activists who feign an ignorance 
of sports because it is politically incorrect to follow sports. But I 
rarely talk about sports with leftists. It kind of gives me less to talk 
about at parties.

I can understand this with leftist women, because women generally don't 
follow sports. But it's really noticeable with activist men.

Clamor did a special issue on sports several years ago. I heard that 
sales of that issue really tanked.

A more current indicator might be the number of books that Dave Zirin is 
selling. Zirin is a leftist sportswriter who is featured on Counterpunch 
and Democracy Now. He has two books out currently, both published by the 
ISO's publishing arm, Haymarket.

But I suspect that sales of his books won't give an accurate measure of 
the left's interest in sports, if only because I think that his books 
are getting some interest among non-leftist sports fans. A few weeks ago 
I caught an appearance by Zirin on a national sports radio program. He 
was interviewed on a variety of topics and he hewed pretty closely to 
his political take on sports. It's interesting that a leftist would be 
so warmly received by a national sports program whose listeners are 
almost all non-leftists.

I've always found it amusing and annoying that leftists who say they 
want to be down with the people are so quick to dismiss the pastimes and 
interests of the working class.

I'm just irked that the Royals narrowly lost to the D-Backs tonight.

Chuck
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