print“The Vuvuzela And World Cup: A Symbol Of The End Of Civilization”: This is interesting comment by one of Larry Auster’s readers; I’ve been urged to comment about it by one of ours. Here’s my problem with sweeping, slightly hysterical deductions about the incessant horn blowing at the Soccer World Cup as a symbol of the destruction of western civilization: As a writer who reasons rather than emotes, I’m not mad about indulging in such deductions. For one, the leap from horn-blowing to civilizational demise omits some rather crucial in-between steps such as I have been covering in my South Africa essays.
The flight into symbolism also leaves unexamined the phenomenon of British and European soccer hooliganism.
(I sincerely hope that this is what draws you to this site over others: immutable fairness—reasoning from fact and first principles, and not from symbolism. You known how to show your love.)
In any event, read Patrick H’s comment, and have at it (or at me, for that matter):
“I am wondering if you are going to comment on the inadvertent (and thereby revealing) comedy of the destruction by liberalism of the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa.
The agent of liberal destruction is a horn. Specifically, a long plastic device called the vuvuzela. The employment by South African spectators of the vuvuzela as incessant accompaniment to the soccer matches on the pitch has–and I must insist I am not exaggerating–destroyed the experience of viewing the games almost completely. The use–constant, unrelenting–of this, ah, instrument, by thousands of fans produces a tuneless monotonous drone or hum that operates at the level of a roar (a bit like a bunch of great big kazoos might do–but without any melody). And it simply never stops. The effect on television presentations is remarkable. It sounds like the games are being played in a hive full of thousands of gigantic bees. All other sound is effectively eliminated: crowd roars come through dimly–probably because the vuvuzela-ists drop their horns to join in the collective huzzah when an occasional ball wanders near the net–but chants are gone. Singing: gone.” ….
UPDATE (June 16): As a courtesy to one of my readers I commented in passing on this topic. Larry Auster and one of his readers have decided to die on a molehill over my criticisms off this tack, framing it, grandiosely, as an “objection.”
They’d like to commandeer my blog to indulge this pettiness. Sorry.
I care not a whit as to how conservatives argue—increasingly they sound to me as irrational and emotional as liberals.
Larry’s reader claims the missive was farce; fair enough. Yet Larry wishes to continue debating the thing (on my blog) as if it were not; as though horn blowing as emblematic of a liberal/atavistic society were a serious argument.
Both refuse to plug their logical lacuna—explain European soccer hooliganism. It’s not that hard. The idea, moreover, of proceeding from the particular to the general is surely predicated on galvanizing more than one fact in support of your case. In the case of South Africa, that too is easy.
As one wag put it, “South Africa has blown it,” but I’d argue—and I’d have facts, not feelings, on my side—that it’s not necessarily the noisy horns that signify the end of civilization there and the triumph of liberal egalitarianism; it’s the piling bodies, looting of land and property, radical affirmative action (BEE), etc.
The vuvuzela is incredibly annoying. Who do we have to thank for it?
Patrick,
Ilana is an American now. You know Americans don’t give a rip about soccer.
Those things irritate the living hell out of me. Last Friday I was in a coffee shop and the “restless natives” blew these things inside the shopping centre. No culture at all, but then we all know the origins of the vuvuzela.
There is no atmosphere at the games. I watch on tv with the sound off. What happened to the chanting and singing?
Ok, I’ll have at ya…
reasoning from fact and first principles, and not from symbolism
-that’s a good summation of the Western philosophical attitude; but this mode of thinking, founded on the banishment of religious or “symbolic” thinking, has burned itself out because it has shown us that we can’t get far in understanding our choice of first principles absent thinking about the shared symbolism on which they depend. All human thinking begins with signs or symbols, including all forms of reason. Our principles are the ways we have worked out the meaning of shared events and the exchange of symbols that center events. Facts are also created in the course of events, constructed in the exchange of signs or symbols.
You address the hysterics of Auster’s one reader by recognizing that his is a form of “reason” dependent on symbolism, or shared religion. But in invoking your religion of fairness and reason you too are invoking the symbolism of a liberal religion and its principles reflecting its founding events/symbols. It might be a good religion but the question can only be thought by asking if it is still up to the task of assimilating new events producing new symbols we have to somehow accomodate and/or find a superior reason up to the task.
I’m still curious what you really think of this horn-blowing din.
This has been the worst World cup since I can remember and my memory goes back to Spain 1982. It’s not just that the goals are few and far between, but the fact that the vast majority of what little they have been were more a result of comical defending, goalkeepers’ blunders and set pieces. Then there are errors even in the basic elements of the game, misplaced passes, even simple ones, bad controlling of the ball, awful shooting from the distance…But nobody will say that the vuvuzelas might have something to do with it because they disrupt the players’ concentration lest he be ridiculed.
Milos, I agree with you and believe that the teams game plans are affected because they would have difficulty hearing each other. The vuvuzela has even been called a musical instrument by government officials! It has been proven by a Swedish company specializing in hearing aids that if your hearing is exposed for more than 8min to that “musical” tone, you will develope hearing problems. A musical instrument that generates close to 130db next to your ear for 90min….
The Italy supporters should rather come and watch the SA vs Itally rugby match on Saturday to have their ears take a rest. It would not be surprizing if this was Bafana bafana’s “game plan” to improve their winning chances.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my comment. [It was a courtesy to a reader, not a spontaneous interest in the comment or the topic.] I think you missed the comic intent completely, despite my use of the word “comedy” in the very first sentence. [So the use of the word “comedy” rules out the possibility of a serious comment?!] As for “symbolism”, the word “symbol” was used by Lawrence Auster in his title, not by me. And the “destruction” I referred to, also in the first sentence, was the destruction of the World Cup by liberalism. [Your entire “comedy” dealt with the symbolism of the horn noise. Your editor, Larry, titled it correctly. ]
I am at a loss as to what you mean when you write of my sweeping generalizations. [Re-read your post.] I clearly do not believe that the black South African soccer fans are actual Morlocks who intend to consume us alive. Nor do I think the last sound in the universe will a “great big annihilating hum”. At least not literally. I am sorry to say that the only hysteria I intended to provoke was hysterical laughter. I can see I have failed miserably in your case. [My reader primed me for what he believed was serious comment. This could have colored my reaction. Again, it was a courtesy to a reader; not an interest in a soccer comment that prompted the response.]
You also did not respond to the second leg of my argument, such as it was, which was the pusillanimous refusal to ban the vuvuzela by those with the power to do so. [As did you omit from your “comedy” a comment about European soccer mayhem. Your “comedy” doesn’t hold if you don’t address that specter. I would agree with you on the need for strict rules.]
I admit to being puzzled by your failing to see the humour, or even the point, of a comment.
Jamie, I am aware that Ilana Mercer is now an American, and that Americans don’t give a hoot about soccer. If you read my comment, which was addressed to Lawrence Auster and his readers, not Ilana Mercer, I asked if he could overcome his antipathy, if he had any feelings at all about the game, and watch a game himself to verify my description of the mindless din.
I would join T-Rex in indicating my interest in Ilana Mercer’s reaction to the din, and perhaps even her view of the reasons for the refusal of authorities to do anything about it, except that I am not interested. I apologize as well, because I am not going to read several essays just to get Ilana Mercer’s complete description of every one of the “crucial in-between” steps that lead from “horn-blowing to civilizational demise”. [My response followed the sweep of your “comedy.” The real issues over there worry me more.] My attention span has been destroyed by the vuvuzela-blasts, and besides, I need to have some breakfast. I am even sorrier to say that I will continue to watch the soccer, since I do give a hoot about the game. Despite the horn-blowing.
[Thanks for the clarification; snideness was unnecessary. As endangered species, we can try and get along.]
Goals few and far between? I thought non-goal scoring was one of the rules. I think they blow those horns to help stay awake.
“All other sound is effectively eliminated…”
Sounds like a Rolling Stone’s concert I attended in ’65, I never heard a word.
Ilana,
when I ‘hear’ the vuvuzela I think of this type of thing.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1287050/Teenage-gang-members-plead-guilty-killing-retired-care-worker-walked-home-mosque.html
The end of civilization, no, of course not, but read the text from the newspaper at the foot of the article. There are tens of thousands of these ‘kids’ in London now.
Western cities are being destroyed bit by bit.
BTW: I am glad American’s do not like soccer much. It shows that the Hispanic influence has been exaggerated once more.
I’m a big World Cup fan. The vuvuzelas are indeed awful. To say it completely ruins it would be an overstatement, but I have to say it’s been hugely disappointing.
And speaking of overreactions, I’ve hear and read people accusing vuvuzela-haters of racism! Like this from the popular sports site, Deadspin
“I wouldn’t say that opposition to the vuvuzela is racist, since complaints are mostly color blind, but it definitely smacks of the condescending imperialism that infects so much of our talk about the problem with Africa.”
Amazing! One may not object to ANYTHING African — even an inane aesthetic complaint about the accompaniment at football matches — without it being construed as “imperialism.”