It's not novel, but it bears repeating: sport is a kind of analog for warfare. Everything you have said here applies to fighting and combat (mortal or otherwise). Our modern existence affords us such safe lives that we are suffocated and malformed. I mean, this is "Fight Club," this is Junger's warfare. This is driving too fast and swimming out past the buoys.
Our first observation is that the more we give physically - the greater our commitment to discovering our limits - the more clarity with which the boundary between finitude and the infinite appears.
This is an important point. I would add that there has to be some element of danger / risk if we are to learn any lasting lessons.
Nov 29, 2023·edited Nov 29, 2023Liked by Johann Kurtz
Sports are a great way of bringing people together through entertainment. The teams, the mascots, the cheerleaders, the songs—all of these help to create a common sense of identity. For the players, it promotes the virtues of resilience, discipline, and leadership.
TLDR: sport as ernergeia not techne.
Follow up and double down, excellent piece!
It's not novel, but it bears repeating: sport is a kind of analog for warfare. Everything you have said here applies to fighting and combat (mortal or otherwise). Our modern existence affords us such safe lives that we are suffocated and malformed. I mean, this is "Fight Club," this is Junger's warfare. This is driving too fast and swimming out past the buoys.
Yes. In times of peace - hard sport and spiritual warfare are essential.
Our first observation is that the more we give physically - the greater our commitment to discovering our limits - the more clarity with which the boundary between finitude and the infinite appears.
This is an important point. I would add that there has to be some element of danger / risk if we are to learn any lasting lessons.
Yes, great point. Accepting danger demonstrates that there are things that mean more to you than mere 'physical existence'
What a great series of articles. Thank you. Our culture has become so vapid, meaningless. This refocus is sorely needed.
Thank you, really appreciate it.
Amazing. i thought surely i was the only one who saw the world and the practice of physical activity in this light, thank you.
Thanks for your comment - glad you liked it
Sports are a great way of bringing people together through entertainment. The teams, the mascots, the cheerleaders, the songs—all of these help to create a common sense of identity. For the players, it promotes the virtues of resilience, discipline, and leadership.
Another great article!
Thank you!
"Modern sport is an entirely physical endeavor, devoid of metaphysical significance or encounters with the transcendent."
A bit too overbroad.
Should be "Modern American/Western sport..."
The spiritual aspect is totally integrated into the only sport that I follow--Japanese Sumo.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/sumopedia/
Dignity, tradition, spirtuality, transcendantality. It's there in Sumo.
I didn't expect a follow-up. What a pleasant surprise!
Thanks for reading and sharing!
Why yes, play them, take the vax and drop dead of a heart attack. That's the way.
Yes!