what
is this purely entertainment
theatre
a spectacle
a sleight of hand
a magic trick
in a word of confusion and unknown distraction reigns
the opiate of the people
pacify the masses
so power then
the relentless pursuit for control
superiority
domination
othering
or is this just about money
and sex
to the victor go the spoils
both capital and flesh
and violence
sanctioned or otherwise
all an outlet for our collective inner roaring savage
or is this a quest to understand
ourselves
life
death
is this about immortality
not only a transcendence of the constraints of our fragile physical bodies but because
petrified of our impermanence we grasp
at eternal youth
mystery
and metaphysics
a vicarious identification with those exempt from physical laws
us at our best
or worst
a little of both
an acknowledgement
if you will
of our flaws and deep seated issues
public acceptance
of damaged psyches
and in that acceptance we connect
in all circumstances we are by ourselves
alone we ache to reach out and touch
whether hug or fist is irrelevant
beaten and bloodied bare knuckle warriors hug like lovers at the final bell
i love you man
or is this empathy
equality
at its finest
in a world filled with imbalance this is about a level playing field
all are equal within these lines and on those lines
are they arbitrary
or as real as it gets
maybe this is about love
for a world that cannot express it
the one truth common to us all
with the exception of death
liberation of the human spirit
pure romance
a will to life
where conflict is vital
if everything but war is a simulation
is this is the closest thing we have
to truly feeling alive.
………
For
Sports Management Students. First Lecture Trimester 1, 2023.
Location | Date
Griffith University, Live Online (Teams + Recording) + Pre-Record + Transcript
08 | 03 | 2023
Image
‘arbitrary lines I’ | Triptych (image elicitation)
16:9 | Landscape
29 | 03 | 2023
Text Publication Date (Self Published)
09 | 02 | 2024
Text Notes
TBA
Lead In + Approach
There was a brief lead in to this at the beginning of the lecture …
what is this (sport)
what does it mean
to you
me
us
i read once that the value of something depends on how its managed but perhaps what and where you place that value will drive how you approach the managing
so how do you position something like this
justify it
is there a common truth to it
and if so does that truth apply to us all
Approach
I do this stuff to cultivate attention – and then provoke thought – never to represent fact or make any claims to authority or absolute truth. I am just interested in getting people thinking and talking. I move students through “a continuous circuit” of text, imagery, spoken word (poetic creative non-fiction style spoken word tapestries of topics and ideas and possibilities), questions and games and tasks (design thinking style process). I aim to “jolt” those in attendance out of their “preconceived notions”. And at the same time – and as a direct result of it – maximise the time they spend engaged – focussed.