Tuesday, February 08, 2005
That Don't Impress Me Much (1) - Ellen MacArthur
Well, it’s an achievement of sorts, I guess, being the quickest at something. But so what? I don’t care that the boats are bigger nowadays, the technology more advanced, I see no reason why someone should make life harder for themselves… I also don't think that she has a responsibility to be charming. The dull are capable of extraordinary achiement too. But what was the point of the endeavour? Just to beat a record, to be number one on a historical league table of an easily-measurable factor. And that’s it. I’m not going to resort to banal adages about the “the journey” being more important than “the destination”, but this feat seems to me to be typical of the behaviour of goal-orientated try-hards everywhere. Going round the world is an excellent thing: there are a million places to explore, animals to observe and unknown situations to encounter. MacArthur is uninterested in these, the goal – its worth unquestioned – is the only thing of value. She reminds me a lot of Ffyona Campbell, another obsessive for whom speed is more important than experience. Take your time, girls, it need not be a race. I am well aware that I may be (am) hijacking the poor woman to make a broader point about society that I can't really be bothered elucidating. Why not try doing the work for me and coming up with the type of person you think she signifies to me?
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Well, it’s an achievement of sorts, I guess, being the quickest at something. But so what? I don’t care that the boats are bigger nowadays, the technology more advanced, I see no reason why someone should make life harder for themselves… I also don't think that she has a responsibility to be charming. The dull are capable of extraordinary achiement too. But what was the point of the endeavour? Just to beat a record, to be number one on a historical league table of an easily-measurable factor. And that’s it. I’m not going to resort to banal adages about the “the journey” being more important than “the destination”, but this feat seems to me to be typical of the behaviour of goal-orientated try-hards everywhere. Going round the world is an excellent thing: there are a million places to explore, animals to observe and unknown situations to encounter. MacArthur is uninterested in these, the goal – its worth unquestioned – is the only thing of value. She reminds me a lot of Ffyona Campbell, another obsessive for whom speed is more important than experience. Take your time, girls, it need not be a race. I am well aware that I may be (am) hijacking the poor woman to make a broader point about society that I can't really be bothered elucidating. Why not try doing the work for me and coming up with the type of person you think she signifies to me?
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