Robert's Journal

Things move a little slower in Tasmania.

Today in the traffic, I was behind what could possibly be the last Austin  1800 on the road, being driven by  some-one who could have been its original owner.

Why does this quote come to mind every time I watch 20/20 cricket?

Is it the silly uniforms, the breathless non-cricket commentary or the three-ring circus atmosphere that it has?

It seems to me that 20/20 cricket at the International level has been promoted just for the spectacle of the thing; to have something to show on the television. A bit like State of Origin in that regard. Simply manufactured for sale, rather than coming out of existing competitions. But then, maybe all sport, beyond a certain level is manufactured. What legitimacy does professional sport have? Most of it is about allowing television stations to sell more advertising and they, the TV stations, don’t care what the sport or spectacle is, provided people watch it. LCD works every time.

Ah ha, I hear you say, “What about professional orchestras? Are they too illegitimate because they are seeking an audience or was Beethoven too concerned with publishing and making money?”

And rock bands. Is Led Zeppelin (Mark II) more legitimate than Led Zeppelin (Mark I) or the Spice Girls or The Monkees?

Where does legitimacy lie? Somewhere in the balance between doing it because you want to do it for its own sake and doing it to be paid. Artists, authors, musicians if they don’t want to starve must either not consider being full time artists or sell their work to the public.  (More later)