… of the first order.”
[T]he most dangerous form of NASCAR racing remains the most luridly popular with fans even though higher speeds and more spectacular accidents created by them are endangering both spectators and drivers.
“NASCAR got what they wanted…” [one driver said] of restrictor plate racing. “Cars getting airborne …”
July 7th, 2015 at 8:38AM
meh, getting off on other people risking their lives (especially in head to head competition) seems pretty wired into the species for all of recorded history and no doubt back beyond.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/04/zadie-smith-jg-ballard-crash
July 7th, 2015 at 9:59AM
dmf: I think it’s the official, technological, mainstreamed aspect of it that’s rather new. Plus, NASCAR is about spectators getting off on watching themselves risk their own lives as well.
July 7th, 2015 at 4:37PM
I’m not a racing fan myself, but have several friends who are drivers or race-crew participants. They are not among the most self-alientated people I know…
July 8th, 2015 at 8:00AM
don’t think the danger to self really computes (not in the fans i have come to know down south and now here in the midwest, and certainly not in the massive tv audiences), also don’t think one to be a mcluhan-ite to see echoes of the coliseum, eh?