- Nov 13, 2008
- 26,143
- 20,805
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Sydney Sweeney's Shaving Team...
- Thread starter
- #176
The following was written to pass some time while the washing machine did it's bit. It's just an exercise in stuffing around....
The AFL media has been supplying a moral compass to the sport for a number of years. However, the compass has turned into a GPS with a Hitler-accented voice in recent years as the riot act has been read at club officials and players who have transgressed what Pauline Hanson lovers would categorise as political correctness.
I should say right here that while I am a strong believer of equality and fairness, I dont believe that people should be carded as being racist or sexist simply on the basis of a few stray words. To me, this type of "good vs evil" characterisation just doesnt leave enough room to talk about people who are actively trying to exterminate entire populations or who bash women consistently and without provocation.
The media fans along this "good vs evil", "you're either with us or you're against us" mentality in all aspects of public life - including sports. Everyone has the right to express an opinion these days and there's a 1001 ways to express them. The role of sports writers in this anarchy of ideas is to fan the flames, or to strategically raise issues that might heighten divisiveness in the community. The idea is to get the punters involved and get them to return to the newspaper or the internet page to chase up how the "debate" was resolved. Conflict is good for business.
In sports, the media is the political correctness sheriff sniffing out any deviation from the pristine public face that those administering the sport would hope it to have. Sport is meant to be where skin colour is irrelevant, all cultures are respected, women are represented and consulted in all aspects of the sport. All sexual orientations are accepted and physical disability is to be incorporated into the methods.
Of course, none of this happens in non-sport parts of life. But that doesnt stop the sports writer from expecting or demanding this perfect world - on our behalf of course.
And I say all power to these modern titans of reform. In fact, sometimes I think their talents are wasted in the confines of sport. I'd like to see Caroline Wilson take a lead in the women's movement. I'd like to see Patrick Smith as Australia's Ambassador to the UN. I'd like to see Damien Barrett broker a final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It's time for these guys to move on to greater things!
The AFL media has been supplying a moral compass to the sport for a number of years. However, the compass has turned into a GPS with a Hitler-accented voice in recent years as the riot act has been read at club officials and players who have transgressed what Pauline Hanson lovers would categorise as political correctness.
I should say right here that while I am a strong believer of equality and fairness, I dont believe that people should be carded as being racist or sexist simply on the basis of a few stray words. To me, this type of "good vs evil" characterisation just doesnt leave enough room to talk about people who are actively trying to exterminate entire populations or who bash women consistently and without provocation.
The media fans along this "good vs evil", "you're either with us or you're against us" mentality in all aspects of public life - including sports. Everyone has the right to express an opinion these days and there's a 1001 ways to express them. The role of sports writers in this anarchy of ideas is to fan the flames, or to strategically raise issues that might heighten divisiveness in the community. The idea is to get the punters involved and get them to return to the newspaper or the internet page to chase up how the "debate" was resolved. Conflict is good for business.
In sports, the media is the political correctness sheriff sniffing out any deviation from the pristine public face that those administering the sport would hope it to have. Sport is meant to be where skin colour is irrelevant, all cultures are respected, women are represented and consulted in all aspects of the sport. All sexual orientations are accepted and physical disability is to be incorporated into the methods.
Of course, none of this happens in non-sport parts of life. But that doesnt stop the sports writer from expecting or demanding this perfect world - on our behalf of course.
And I say all power to these modern titans of reform. In fact, sometimes I think their talents are wasted in the confines of sport. I'd like to see Caroline Wilson take a lead in the women's movement. I'd like to see Patrick Smith as Australia's Ambassador to the UN. I'd like to see Damien Barrett broker a final settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It's time for these guys to move on to greater things!
Last edited: