陈凯博客： www.kaichenblog.blogspot.com

拳击家的伟大精神
Great Individual Spirit of a Pugilist

价值一语： Words of Value:

Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of a man you are, for it shows me what your ideal of manhood is, and what kind of a man you long to be. --- Thomas Carlyle

告诉我你崇敬什么样的人，我就知道你是什么样的人。 因为你告诉了我你心目中的理想的人的形象，我就知道你想做什么样的人。 --- Thoma Carlyle

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By Kai Chen 陈凯 (Reprint 9/29/2011)

Last night's fight between Taylor and Wright ended up a draw. But it was still a great fight. Both gave 100% of their effort and showed their strong will, individual character, talent and skills. Both deserve our admiration.

I love boxing, though I don't play the sport. I loved it the first time I watched a boxing match. Though there have been some bad conduct and behavior such as Tyson biting people, boxing is still one of my favorite sports to watch.

I will always be moved to see that a boxer gets knocked down but stands up again to knock the other guy out. I always admire those who beat each other bloody but show tremendous respect for the rules of the sport and the opponents' talent and courage. There is something great and noble in Boxing: People come from different backgrounds but they all demonstrate their individuality in the ring. Boxing is a sport that the players in it can never hide his true color and true character from anyone including himself. It is a ruthless display of reality. I love it.

I guess I love boxing because I love reality and loath deception and illusion. I love boxing for I admire the integrity of a boxer -- the unity of his will, his talent, his courage, his skills... What shows inside the ring is a reflection of how the boxer lives outside the ring. It is just like what I always say about a basketball player:

"The way you play basketball on the court shows exactly what kind person you are and how you conduct your life off the court."

I love boxing also because I love individualism. Inside the ring, a boxer has nowhere to escape but to face the danger, the pain, the possibility of defeat, the risk that associated with reality, one word, to face himself and who he really is. No one can replace anyone inside the ring. There is no one else to depend on. It is a full display of the essence and character of a person. I love it.

China had never had Boxing until only a couple of decades ago. Under communism boxing had always been banned. I always think the dislike and distaste of boxing by Chinese shows their contempt for individualism, objectivity and reality. For a culture that is built upon escapism, confusion and self-deception, boxing is a needle in the Chinese eyes. Many times I have heard the Chinese comment about the existence of Boxing in the west, especially in America (with the idols such as Ali, Robbinson, Marciano..,) with disdain, saying it is uncivilized, brutal, dangerous and idiotic. No wonder the Chinese value their intrigues, plots, deception and confusion as the treasures of their "civilization". Every time I watch the Chinese gossip with jealousy, or put down on individual greatness, I feel only nauciating repulsion. To see "small men" commenting and putting down greatness of individuals makes my stomach turn every time.

A nation of groups with no individual deserves NO greatness. Any so called greatness in such a setting is nothing but an illusion.

I have always thought that if the first emperor did not destroy all weapons in the civil society, if the Chinese had ever had a tradition of "Duel" to solve individual conflict, much like what had existed in the West, the Chinese character would not be so small and despicable, the Chinese civil society would not be so weak and meaningless. A society not willing to admit and treasure individual greatness, not willing to see reality in a boxing ring, not willing to see pain, blood, tears, effort, courage, integrity, respect, logically ends up as a society consist of a whole bunch "blood-thirst" parasites and man-eaters.