Till COVID came along Federer would have been my tennis GOAT, because he was on paper at the time and he also represented the epitome of educated high class polyglot controlled sophistication that is admirable and aspirational. Not that I'm an elites worshiper, I actually belong to and am more comfortable in a working class setting. But being controlled educated and a top performer is not a bad aspirational goal. No one could go wrong telling his son "if you want a standard, be like Roger Federer." He even had a normal wife. Not a supermodel or a starlet celebrity. Just a normal wife and what seems to be a normal family
All of that is still true I suppose but I must say I was very disappointed how silent most tennis players (including the women) were in defense of Novak. Does not matter if they agreed or sincerely disagreed with his clot shot stance. THEY SHOULD HAVE DEFENDED HIM. It is particularly disappointing when it comes to Roger Federer and Raffa Nadal. BOTH have more money than they'll ever need and in my book they should have stood up for their comrade. Being "sophisticated" and elite should include knowing when silly game competition should be secondary to the things important to your whole tribe. Raffa and Roger (in my opinion) should have seen that and stepped up to defend Novak.
So now I have to agree. Novak is the GOAT both on paper and in the iconic sense because he stood firm. Some day the other tennis players (if they ever wise up) may be glad he did. Compliance can be a good thing most of the time when it really does not matter much But compliance on a body sovereignty issue should be non negotiable. Now that almost every one has complied where is the line now? If mandated Needle rape is ok today to be admitted to the Tennis Club...What will it be tomorrow? Conventional rape? Slippery slopes tend to only get more slippery. ALL of tennis should have organized a walk out or something. Instead Novak has had to stand almost alone. Some day they ALL may regret their choice
it's a Serbian thang... Though I'm recently distressed to find he is a Freemason. Covid divided people in a way that nothing else has...so everyone did what they were inside.
I am almost clueless about the Freemason thing. I am aware of them and aware of strong feelings about them but I am very short on actual information about them. Other than they are allegedly a secret society probably does not help. Will have to try and educate myself about them.
Plus I'm a little contrarian some times. Probably to protect my feelings. Don't want to be parts of any club that would not want me (which would probably include Freemasons). Groveling is not my thing. But I am also a bit suspicious (even if mildly pleased) about any club that would want me. Why would they want THAT?:) Plus, COVID has not exactly helped my not so trusting nature. I am working on it. It's a long term project:)
COVID not only divided but it also unmasked. I don't think I have been dropped by long term friends and acquaintances because of COVID. But there have been a few awkward conversations. "Don't show up without a negative PCR result" is a bit akin to only being invited if you present a negative STD screen. Sheez, I was only going to mingle a bit and go home.. The whole STD clearance proof seems a bit overboard. Never got used to that peak fear moment when you know the COVID terrified would be talking to you but thinking "I wonder if this person is the death vector that takes me out?"
Turning everyone in to highly infectious communicable lepers is quite the psyop
You can only get THAT sort of psyop with USAID, DARPA and DOD level money
So here I am. Can't trust the state and the state is working to see we don't trust each other. Not exactly paradise:)
I know that I have not dropped anyone because of the awkward pauses but some times wonder "will this be the last time I ever hear from them?". Hard to know since I'm just a guy who reads substack and has a lot of quiet alone time. Hard to differentiate quiet and alone from more quiet and alone.. More of the same is not exactly one of them "Signals" that the science folks taught us how to talk about ever since clot shots started Signaling it was deadly. Perhaps that's a weakness in TOO MUCH solitude. You miss the Signals. Because there are none.
I'm late to that party myself...so much to learn from so many sources. I'm guessing your alone time has been well spent, but yes, too much is not good and the atmosphere is just sadly wierd. But we've grown a lot even if in ways we didn't anticipate. Well said, Ray...
Since the beginning of the Covid op my best friend turned out to be a Serbian acquaintance. The Balkans are definitely a special part of the world and I’ve appreciated your posts about them.
Till COVID came along Federer would have been my tennis GOAT, because he was on paper at the time and he also represented the epitome of educated high class polyglot controlled sophistication that is admirable and aspirational. Not that I'm an elites worshiper, I actually belong to and am more comfortable in a working class setting. But being controlled educated and a top performer is not a bad aspirational goal. No one could go wrong telling his son "if you want a standard, be like Roger Federer." He even had a normal wife. Not a supermodel or a starlet celebrity. Just a normal wife and what seems to be a normal family
All of that is still true I suppose but I must say I was very disappointed how silent most tennis players (including the women) were in defense of Novak. Does not matter if they agreed or sincerely disagreed with his clot shot stance. THEY SHOULD HAVE DEFENDED HIM. It is particularly disappointing when it comes to Roger Federer and Raffa Nadal. BOTH have more money than they'll ever need and in my book they should have stood up for their comrade. Being "sophisticated" and elite should include knowing when silly game competition should be secondary to the things important to your whole tribe. Raffa and Roger (in my opinion) should have seen that and stepped up to defend Novak.
So now I have to agree. Novak is the GOAT both on paper and in the iconic sense because he stood firm. Some day the other tennis players (if they ever wise up) may be glad he did. Compliance can be a good thing most of the time when it really does not matter much But compliance on a body sovereignty issue should be non negotiable. Now that almost every one has complied where is the line now? If mandated Needle rape is ok today to be admitted to the Tennis Club...What will it be tomorrow? Conventional rape? Slippery slopes tend to only get more slippery. ALL of tennis should have organized a walk out or something. Instead Novak has had to stand almost alone. Some day they ALL may regret their choice
it's a Serbian thang... Though I'm recently distressed to find he is a Freemason. Covid divided people in a way that nothing else has...so everyone did what they were inside.
I am almost clueless about the Freemason thing. I am aware of them and aware of strong feelings about them but I am very short on actual information about them. Other than they are allegedly a secret society probably does not help. Will have to try and educate myself about them.
Plus I'm a little contrarian some times. Probably to protect my feelings. Don't want to be parts of any club that would not want me (which would probably include Freemasons). Groveling is not my thing. But I am also a bit suspicious (even if mildly pleased) about any club that would want me. Why would they want THAT?:) Plus, COVID has not exactly helped my not so trusting nature. I am working on it. It's a long term project:)
COVID not only divided but it also unmasked. I don't think I have been dropped by long term friends and acquaintances because of COVID. But there have been a few awkward conversations. "Don't show up without a negative PCR result" is a bit akin to only being invited if you present a negative STD screen. Sheez, I was only going to mingle a bit and go home.. The whole STD clearance proof seems a bit overboard. Never got used to that peak fear moment when you know the COVID terrified would be talking to you but thinking "I wonder if this person is the death vector that takes me out?"
Turning everyone in to highly infectious communicable lepers is quite the psyop
You can only get THAT sort of psyop with USAID, DARPA and DOD level money
So here I am. Can't trust the state and the state is working to see we don't trust each other. Not exactly paradise:)
I know that I have not dropped anyone because of the awkward pauses but some times wonder "will this be the last time I ever hear from them?". Hard to know since I'm just a guy who reads substack and has a lot of quiet alone time. Hard to differentiate quiet and alone from more quiet and alone.. More of the same is not exactly one of them "Signals" that the science folks taught us how to talk about ever since clot shots started Signaling it was deadly. Perhaps that's a weakness in TOO MUCH solitude. You miss the Signals. Because there are none.
I'm late to that party myself...so much to learn from so many sources. I'm guessing your alone time has been well spent, but yes, too much is not good and the atmosphere is just sadly wierd. But we've grown a lot even if in ways we didn't anticipate. Well said, Ray...
Since the beginning of the Covid op my best friend turned out to be a Serbian acquaintance. The Balkans are definitely a special part of the world and I’ve appreciated your posts about them.
Thank you... They carry a certain wisdom and they are genuine... I ran clinic over there till the travel ban...will get a couple of those posts going.