Dear Friends,
In the times of ancient Byzantium, they had a policy of state control, based upon the idea that mass sporting events may usefully divert public attention away from any real social inequality issues, bubbling below the surface, that could potentially lead to full scale revolt, or mass defiance....
The policy has become known as "bread and circuses." Loaves of bread would be thrown at the crowd in the Hippodrome and the popular pastime for many in the Eastern Roman Empire, would be support and betting on the charioteers of the blues and the greens...
Which team do you support...?? Blue or green...
The diversion of mass attention towards these competing teams, included religious and political straightjacketing by the state, as the political and social agendas could be directed, top down...through the use of a sports packaging of politics...
Of course, the rivalry between these teams and their supporters actually resulted in much hooliganism, as we see today, but all the energy was directed at each other, rather than at the elites running the empire..An example being the Nika riots of 532 AD, in which around 30,000 supporters were killed..and a Byzantine church destroyed.
Modern football is very similar and has become a massive diversion for much public energy away from the real social issues of the day....It is a massive business, as we may observe with the World Cup event and interestingly, the current World Cup in Brazil, is witnessing a breakdown of the facade of bread and circuses, as austerity measures against the Brazillian public good, compete with the commercial glamours of football...
Yet, for all it's mimicry, the modern state and succesor to Rome, has forgotten to include the loaves of bread, freely distributed to the crowds and instead resorts to riot police....History informs us that such a lack of wisdom leads to a change in dispensation...If sports fails to support the common good, it will become less influential upon the public and become bankrupted in time..
To sum it all up I have included this humourous rap video, about the absurdities of the World Cup in Brazil...An event that is starkly divorced from the lives of many in Brazil. Those who suffer austerity, while the state and international business community play the ill-fated role of King Midas....
Be in joy....!!
Kind regards,
Drekx Omega
Replies
Well, I'm not particularly interested in the game of soccer, but did hear on the news, that Germany beat brazil, 7-1....LOL
Now, what I would be very pleased to hear about, would be a German victory over the USA/NSA spies and the Federal Reserve bank goldbugs....Looks like they have arrested some US spies, in Germany....Another US own goal....Hahahaha.....!! :-)
Keep up the good work, Germany.....
Not so much the game of soccer, but rather the grandeur of the modern soccer stadium, which is designed to seat a multitude, and is generally oval in shape, not unlike a hippodrome or circus...The word "circus" is Latin for circle and is a substitute definition, in the case of those ancient horse racing venues....We can view the modern spectator sports as bread and circuses, as they are generally highly commercial and intended to keep the masses engaged in futile distractions, from real social issues...
How many football fans do you know with a keen interest in philosophy, metaphysics or society...??
When I last noted a media discussion about this absurd spectacle, they were discussing a violent player who enjoyed biting chunks out of his opponents...LOL A very stupid commercial festival, for very stupid spectators.....and that's all...A way for rich people to get richer and stupid people to bang their heads on a wall...
LOL...Yes Luke, it always amazes me that people continue to slavishly support soccer, as if it were some type of religion. In truth, the game has been lost to commercialization, totally....
..Lol...
Thanks for confirming that.....
I've not watched a single soccer match in 2014, world cup or other.....Much better things to do....
Life is still possible to live without football...Some people need to know this fact... ;-)
...Welll Thanx For Explaining.....How Very Crap....Lol.....Scuze My Ignorance On This Subject....:)....xx....
...Very Much Over-Hyped....In My Opinion....Never Been Able To Understand... Why Footballers Get Payed Soo Much Money......+ There Are People Poor + Starving....???....Then Again I Am Naive.....:)....xx.....
would be the perfect moment to change world affairs :)