I recently watched a Netflix documentary. I was struck by how little I knew of the subject, Bill Russell. I suspect one reason his legacy was so unfamiliar to me was he was not a 'good Negro', as are so many black American basketballers. Like me, Mr. Russell preferred Malik el-Shabazz to Dr. King.
I am not a fan of spectator sports, particularly professional, overly commercialised sports, such as the Olympics.
One of the many emotions Mr. Russell and I share was the belief that sports are grown men playing children's games. Given the American political farce, I well appreciate the appeal of American sports. Many of the competitions might be fixed, but not nearly as fixed as political elections.
I am fascinated by the politics and consumerism of sport. National Basketball Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball have always struck me as human cock fighting. Wealthy, educated white penis holders, watch the African athletic aesthetic by penises on a hardwood dance floor.
The two part documentary graphically illustrated the beauty of sport performed by African descendants of racial slavery. The contrast between Caucasians playing early B-ball, and African A Ball was comparable to watching amateur ballerinas and top Russian ballerinas.
Hollywood is the natural heir to the brillance of Mr. Joseph Gobbels. I hesitate to use the word "brilliance" for a person who might have done more than anyone to kill six million of my fellow Jews. Much like we would not have had Mr. Trump without Mr. Obama, we would not have Hollywood without Mr. Gobbels, however. We would not have Netflix without Hollywood.
Full disclosure. Some years ago, I conversed via telephone with assistants in the office of Mr. Carl Icahn's son, both significant Netflix and Apple investors. Mr. Icahn's open letter to Apple investors inspired at least one of my early blog posts. Mr. Icahn, like every other celebrity I have ever attempted to contact, was as keen to communicate with me as if I tried to shake his hand with co-video.
Despite my relative ignorance of basketball, I was struck by how many athlete's names I recognised in the documentary. I began a bad, bad news junkie habit from my pre-teens, which explains why I recognised so many of the athlete's names. About a decade ago, I went cold turkey. No broadcast or print media, no independent reports. I do see news items inadvertantly, for example when searching for something online.
On occassion, when forced to admit ignorance of some daily dribble, I explain to people that although 'S**t in, s**t out.' might be most often applied to the artificial intelligence aesthete, the concept might be best exemplified by public media, and the public's inability to think. Herding sheep is easier than herding orangutans.
I am frequently amused by how often, after explaining to people that 'I don't want mass media c**p in my brain.', men will go into a long explanation of the media they recently consumed. I don't recall a woman ever doing this. On one occassion a man incredulously asked me 'You don't watch the news?' I ascerbically replied so that he understood the incredulity is mine.
The recording and print media often publish products primarily meant to inform or apply to me. iOS apps and the entire Apple ecosystem are sometimes designed primarily with me in mind, using ideas and advice I've provided, but for which I receive no financial remuneration. Some of these books, songs, apps, devices, and videos are cited in my posts. One aspect of Mr. Russell's Netflix biography which makes me suspect the video was at least in some part meant to inform me, was Mr. Russell's daughter. If/when I pass, my daughter evidences a tenth of the wisdom, beauty and poise his daughter evidenced, my life will have been well spent.
