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Ariel,
My blood is at room temperature rest assured. My brain a tad foggy with a touch of flu which might explain but not excuse my rudeness. I studied Spanish and accounts of bullfights in Spanish poems and literature would capture my imagination. I guess I expected you to recreate the magic that was expressed then. I don't agree with the slaughter of such beautiful beasts and I remember having spirited debates in the classroom, but somehow part of me understood the heroism, the pride and the passion that the Spaniards felt. I guess I am a little ambivalent about this; there is the challenge of fighting this brute force with nothing more than wits and fast nimble feet moving at lightning speed. The matador sometimes would die a shameful death too and the bull was a victor.
I think human beings have this morbid fascination with death, some like to court it, tease it and vanquish it if only for a few fleeting moments. The most adventurous thrill seekers, the daredevils understand this all too well and feel a sense of elation at overcoming the odds.
Big waves surfers fascinate me too. I think the crowds live out such elation vicariously, in the arena as modern day spectators or sitting at home watching a surfer ride a humongous wave. There is something to be said about the courage of these men in bullring, some would call it foolishness I know, and yes it is senseless cruelty but still, I have admiration for their skills.
Every culture has some kind of ritualised spectacle, death defying challenge. We have sanitised version of this on the internet, gratuitous senseless killing in video games. At least, with death being seen in such a graphic way, there is no denying the cruelty and reality of such loss of blood and life. Nowadays, young people play senseless cruel games in their minds via video shooting games. Some make the transition into real life without understanding the full implication of their action.
Modern society is so desensitized to violence, and yet there is an outcry when someone fights a big animal like a bull. I am not saying this is right, but the world is certainly full of contradictions. At least one man showed courage in David and Goliath kind of fight, whereas people play cheap cruel games on the net, and play at being heroes and become hardened to real life suffering and death.
posted by
marieclaire66
on October 28, 2006 at 3:04 PM
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Marieclaire
I had not internet for most of yesterday, as well as having friends for lunch unti 7 pm. Only in here for a little while this morning, so I can't deal in any depths withh coments. Your comment ...
" Sorry something is missing here, it is not convincing enough...this is borrowed passion, it does not ring true...am I charging at you or what????this makes my blood boil because you not convince the Spaniards..."
Forget the " charging " bit ; Ole!
I'm sorry that you read false passion into my piece, and that to you it doesn't ring true. I thought that it was clear by implication that the narrator wasn't passionate about bullfighting, seeing it as a more of a job.
If there is any passion, it is in his reactions to watching the beautiful man-boy el Chico exercising his magic in the ring, and the crowd's reactions to him.
I don't really understand the last bit. Can you make more clear what exactly sends the temperature of your blood soaring to such perilous heights.
If Iam to have bloggers boiling, basting in their own fat, simmering and stewing in their own juice all about me then clearly I must exercise more caution in what I write.
I would hate to go down in history as the unwitting agent of mass slaughter in the hallowed precincts of Blogit.
I trust that your bodily temperature has now reached a safer, more comfortable level, my dear.
posted by
ariel70
on October 28, 2006 at 3:22 AM
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Babe
Thanks for your support.
The very thought of taking a child to a revolting spectacle like a corrida fills me with disgust, so I don't think you missed much in the way of enjoyment!
el Tel ( That's my corrida name, see? Ha ha! )
posted by
ariel70
on October 28, 2006 at 3:08 AM
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Nautikos
Just about my feeling about it. Very few Spaniards approve of bullfighting, and one suspects that this current Socialist government, which has already brought in a whole raft of typical meddling, dictatorial measures,will ban it completely.
I agree, who are we immigrants to order our hosts to change their ways to suit us? Cultural imperialism.
posted by
ariel70
on October 28, 2006 at 3:05 AM
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Shams
Thank you, Oh yes, it was! Quite tricky, really
el Tel
posted by
ariel70
on October 28, 2006 at 3:02 AM
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what a great writing exercise
posted by
Shams-i-Heartsong
on October 27, 2006 at 8:58 AM
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ariel
When it comes to the corrida, I will be forever impaled on the horns of ambivalence, torn between my abhorrence of cruelty to animals and the attraction of the romance surrounding it, which for me began when I first read ‘The Sun Also Rises’ as a kid (and missing a few things, lol.)
I have never witnessed a live performance, and unless trips to Europe were to include a drive into Spain, I probably never will. And there won’t be any regrets.
On the other hand, I would never tell a Spaniard to change his ways...
posted by
Nautikos
on October 27, 2006 at 5:38 AM
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hasta la vista.
posted by
marieclaire66
on October 26, 2006 at 11:29 PM
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marieclaire
Just got up ( at 8.15 ) got a houseful of visitors later today, but I will respond to you comments late this afternoon.
Hasta luego!
posted by
ariel70
on October 26, 2006 at 11:21 PM
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Now go and shoot arrows at my writing like you promised, take no prisoners but... be kind. Hum do whatever only if you still want to.
posted by
marieclaire66
on October 26, 2006 at 11:05 PM
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Sorry something is missing here, it is not convincing enough...this is borrowed passion, it does not ring true...am I charging at you or what????this makes my blood boil because you not convince the Spaniards...
posted by
marieclaire66
on October 26, 2006 at 11:03 PM
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I have read accounts of corridas, Spaniards just don't think the way you people do, it shows in your writing.
posted by
marieclaire66
on October 26, 2006 at 11:00 PM
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Very good writing and I think you have made a point about hypocrisy. My high school Spanish teacher was from Puerto Rico and knew all the details about bull fighting but had never attended an event because he just didn't like the idea. When I was a kid and visiting El Paso, a friend we happened to run into talked my parents out of taking me across the border into Mexico and seeing a bullfight. I grew up on a dairy farm and have respect for bulls (and cows). They are big and dangerous and out to get you.
posted by
babe_rocks
on October 26, 2006 at 9:05 PM
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