[ExI] Pistorius

[Tomasz Rola]

On Wed, 1 Aug 2012, Dave Sill wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 1, 2012 at 4:53 AM, Ben Zaiboc <bbenzai at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > Dave Sill <sparge at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Yes, but (1) shoes probably don't confer an advantage, (2) there are
> > rules
> > > governing shoes, and (3) shoes aren't a part of the human body. There
> > need
> > > to be rules governing prostheses ensuring they don't provide an
> > advantage.
> >
> > I think many running shoe manufacturers would disagree with you on (1)!
> >
> 
> Duh. Nonetheless, barefoot runners have set world records, won world
> championships, and won Olympic gold medals.

Agreed, there was a time when all runners were barefoot (and even wholly 
naked, like during ancient olympiads). There was a time when barefooters 
ran on par with booters. But recently? I don't remember anything like 
this, but I am not avid sport fan. Also, sprint has different demands to 
long run / marathon, and AFAIK there was no barefoot sprinter for a long 
time. But I may be very wrong on this, because I am not a fan.

[...]
> Yeah, maybe someday. But not today.
> 
> We are entering a 'trans-sport' period, and will soon be in a 'post-sport'
> > one.
> >
> 
> I doubt it, but, if so, that's a shame.
> 
> -Dave

I see main merit of sport as it was some time ago in need for long term 
devotion, a dedicated effort engaging both body and mind. I'm afraid we 
are more and more into "take a pill" land and this is a shame indeed. Not 
that shame could stop anybody who values money and social position, and it 
is more like shame is a sign of retardation because it does not help in 
making so called success - which is again a shame.

Long ago, there were libraries under the same roof with gymnasions, so 
that ancient sportsman could exercise both a body and spirit. But as time 
progresses, trivialisation increases. To achieve a success, spirit is no 
longer a required ingredient. I don't like it, but obviously majority does 
not need to be such sophisticated/cultured (and probably never wanted it 
anyway).

We can agree on many things, I think, but I'm afraid there is this 
transition taking place, slowly but inevitably (money talks). But I guess 
we will not see its advanced phase during our lifetime, or if we do, 
nobody would care about our incoherent mumbling.

Regards,
Tomasz Rola

--
** A C programmer asked whether computer had Buddha's nature.      **
** As the answer, master did "rm -rif" on the programmer's home    **
** directory. And then the C programmer became enlightened...      **
**                                                                 **
** Tomasz Rola          mailto:tomasz_rola at bigfoot.com             **