And today Tiger announced he'll play the Masters at Augusta in April.
So I have a question for you. I've lived here long enough to appreciate that American Society has some of its very own peculiar features. For instance, how some men perceive some women and how some women perceive some men.
I'll never forget one of the first (and last) parties I attended in The Woodlands after moving there some 18 years ago. Soon after my arrival at the party I found myself participating in an interesting enough discussion with a small group of female guests. It was only later that I even noticed that I was the only men amongst many women all gathered in one part of the room. Noticeably separated from the men who were enjoying mostly uninteresting discussions about money and/or sex in another part of the room. I'll never forget how one of the men felt compelled to take me aside and explain to me how my Old World behavior was not appreciated in the New World as it might be perceived as a threat by both the women I was talking with as well as their husbands. Thanks for educating me. Whatever.
I also remember how David Letterman abused his forum on national television to "come out" and announce his (abusive!) relationships with those that work(ed) for him. Including some "jokes" to spruce things up a bit - rather gross and sexist, at least in my humble opinion. But then the nation, both male and female, seemed comfortable that Letterman's behavior was/is perfectly acceptable because he is so "funny". In fact, both male and female commentators praised him into Heaven for having been so clever to make his public admission. An that's how it's supposed be done! Again: Whatever.
And then there is Tiger. Last week or so I watched a fragment on CNN or Fox or whatever. The male moderator was discussing Tiger with a male "sport business" expert plus another female contributor. They just sat there happily agreeing that if only Tiger would play the Masters AND win, then all would be immediately forgiven and forgotten; if he lost, however, then he would be in very serious trouble. Come again?! Would you let Tiger anywhere near your daughter even after he has won the next 100 Masters tournaments in a row? One more time: Whatever.
So here's my question: Is it just me? Or is this really how cynical we have become? Is this what I'm supposed to teach my children: You can get away with anything as long as you publicly confess and apologize and make amends by generating a steady cash flow for yourself and others?
P.S. I know: I'm an old fart. My parents tried to teach us some useless skills. Like try to respect others, be they female or male. What were they thinking?
Tiger, to me, is all about golf. His personal life is none of my bidness. Now, to the extent that the media makes a heyday with it, well - that's just that, entertainment. Role model? Get out of here.
ReplyDelete“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses”
ReplyDeleteRalph Waldo Emerson quotes (American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist, 1803-1882)
The essence of being Human is to confront ones own weaknesses and failings, choosing your nobler instincts.
FE
...and what, pray tell, are tiger's "nobler instincts"? golf?
ReplyDeleteMain Entry: no·ble
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin nobilis well-known, noble, from noscere to come to know — more at know
Date: 13th century
1 a : possessing outstanding qualities : illustrious b : famous, notable (noble deeds)
2 : of high birth or exalted rank : aristocratic
3 a : possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties (noble wine) b : very good or excellent
4 : grand or impressive especially in appearance (noble edifice)
5 : possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals : lofty (a noble ambition)
6 : chemically inert or inactive especially toward oxygen (a noble metal such as platinum) — compare base 6a
synonyms see moral
Wes: Excellent elaboration of Noble.
ReplyDeleteI like definition 5. "...arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals" Accomplishments such as Tigers or Armstrongs exhibit/require this superiority of mind or character, occasionally faltering perhaps.
Who are we to judge. If the social good is not threatened. This preoccupation with others failings diminishes our own focus on noble character.
LiveStrong
I'll be long gone when the judging takes place.
ReplyDeleteDid I miss something or did Tiger actually "accomplish" something other than repeatedly driving a ball in a hole, pardon the expression? Maybe that requires superiority of mind. But please don't tell me you're serious when you suggest he posesses superiority of character.
And yes: the social good is threatened. Not by him personally of course, that'd be giving him way more credit than he deserves. But by how we as a society seem to happily and shamelessly condone if not encourage this type of "noble" behavior.
J:
ReplyDeleteI do believe Tiger accomplished something extraordinary in his career.
Eldrick Tont Woods (born December 30, 1975), better known as Tiger Woods,[4] is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Currently the World No. 1, he was the highest-paid professional athlete in 2008, having earned an estimated $110 million from winnings and endorsements.[5]
Woods has won 14 professional major golf championships, the second highest of any male player, and 71 PGA Tour events, third all time.[6] He has more career major wins and career PGA Tour wins than any other active golfer. He is the youngest player to achieve the career Grand Slam, and the youngest and fastest to win 50 tournaments on tour. Additionally, Woods is only the second golfer, after Jack Nicklaus, to have achieved a career Grand Slam three times. Woods has won 16 World Golf Championships, and has won at least one of those events each of the 11 years they have been in existence.
Something that does require great character, perhaps imperfect. To simplify it as "driving a ball in a hole" is like saying Lance simply rides a bicycle or Hank Aaron hits a baseball or Miles Davis plays a horn or Rothko applies paint to canvas.
This could touch on applying ones own beliefs to judge/persecute another, Palestinians/ Jews, honor killings, suicide bombing "Martyrs". I am far more condemning of this type of ignoble beliefs which threaten lives. I propose focusing our media and outrage on these types of social/moral/political issues.
Eddie: I wasn’t simplifying, but apparently I was being (too) cynical. Like Wes, to me Tiger is all about golf, no more, no less. Golf is not my cup of tea but I can still appreciate and admire the extraordinary athletic skills, both mental and physical, that are required to accomplish what Tiger has. And for that he deserves my and everybody’s respect. Now we could stop there and say that that’s all that matters: Whatever he does when he goes off course is irrelevant as long as he performs as advertised when he stays on course. So now who is cynical?
ReplyDeleteWhat worries me is this. We are grownups with more than half a lifetime experience under our belts. When we listen to people trying to concoct justification for Tiger’s behavior when he's off the course, then we are capable to recognize and ignore bullshit when we hear it and switch to another channel. Our kids, on the other hand, look at us - look UP at us – for guidance and expect us to have the answers and to be their compass. They mimic our best and our worst practices.
Am I judging? Don’t know. If so, I won’t apologize for it, not in this case. To me it’s pretty clear: adultery is adultery, and that's not a nobler instinct. But Tiger is right: whatever happened should be dealt with by him and his wife (and by their children!!!). Except that it isn’t. BTW: when the sory broke, that's the first thought that jumped to my mind, those poor children.
Reminds me of a day somewhere in the mid 1990s when Bill Clinton, then President of the United States, forced me to explain what can be done with a cigar to my crying 10-year old daughter after she picked whatever story on the playground. She wasn't ready for that, neither was I. Am I judging what he accomplished as President? No. Do you want me to judge what he accomplished otherwise? Oops, I think I just did it again.