The dominant public occurrence of the last twenty-four hours in America was the decision (or "The Decision") of Lebron James, a preternaturally talented twenty-five year old professional basketball player nearing the prime of his athletic career, to switch teams for less money and a better chance of winning. At one point last night "LeBron James" ranked 17th worldwide as a Google search term.
The imagery leaves no doubt as to how Lebron James is--metaphorically of course--portrayed and seen in America. That imagery is explicitly religious, specifically Judeo-Christian. Even The New York Times, the "Gray Lady," labeled the Miami "Heat," Mr. James' new team, "the New Evil Empire" (the "old" one is the New York "Yankees").
Judaism and Christianity divide heaven and earth into Good and Evil. Goodness cannot exist except in contrast with evil. If everything was a moral monochrome there would be no black because no white, and no good because no evil. Judaism and Christianity also unite, both in imagery and in metaphysics. The half-man half-goat satyr of Greek and Roman mythology is incorporated in the King James (another of Lebron James' nicknames) Version of the Bible and in Hebrew folklore. Jesus was a demigod, half-man and half-god.
We crucify our demigods. LeBron James is depicted here raising his arms in exultation, accepting the adulation due a demigod from his "witnesses," that is "those who publicly affirm their faith," that is his "fans." The photograph also doubles as James as Christ on the cross. And James is being crucified today. The owner of James' former team, the Cleveland "Cavaliers," wrote an open letter to the teams remaining fans:
"Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there."
"This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown 'chosen one'..."
"[James' decision] was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports..."
It's "accountability time" said Dan Gilbert, the owner.
All very religious-influenced statements. Accountability is at the heart of the Judeo-Christian ethos. You can't get to heaven without it, and without the punishment that goes with it. (I hope and assume that Mr. Gilbert was not being threatening in the first statement. That's a very weird thing to say nonetheless, whatever his intent.)
Judaism and Christianity also offer forgiveness and redemption. But that can only come later. Lebron James must be crucified first.
Friedrich Nietzsche dissented from the Judeo-Christian ethos; he argued that we should get "beyond good and evil" to a recognition of the social power relationships that underlie those concepts. Dan Gilbert accuses LeBron James of "betrayal" and "disloyalty." Those "values" are not neutral, they are those of the powerful. Punishment in this context is merely the expression of the anger of the powerful (and Mr. Gilbert is very angry) and serves to enforce the existing social order. The converse is what Nietzsche called the "slave morality" of the less powerful. It too legitimates the social hierarchy in return for ultimate victory over the powerful (in heaven, of course).
So said Nietzsche, but then he was considered insane.*
*I had begun an earlier draft of this post Wednesday morning. I was sitting in court waiting for the judge to take the bench. I hadn't decided if to write on this subject but some colleagues were chatting about it and so I did and began scratching out an opening:
"In the summer of 2006 I was walking the hutongs of Beijing. It was hot, and I was thirsty. I walked in search of a bottle of water. Every "corner" of the hutongs seemed to have a mom and pop store that sold things like bottles of water. I rounded one and saw a man sitting outside watching TV. As I got closer I noticed that it was a color TV, a sign of China's increasing prosperity. I mimed to the man that I wanted some water. Then I saw what he was watching on TV. It was the NBA Finals and it was live. I could not have been more startled if I had encountered Song Binbin sitting there in miniskirt and high-heels."
That's as far as I got. My case was called and afterward I drove back to the office. I liked the opening; it would have provided a nice symmetry of beginning and, anticipated, ending for the Miami "Heat," LeBron James' new team, was playing in that 2006 series and ultimately won the championship.
While driving to the office I had an "Oh shit!" realization. Some months ago Carmen, my ever patient girlfriend, gently informed me that every subject of discussion between us inevitably came back--somehow--to China. I hadn't realized and was mortified. I began to check myself during our conversations and consciously began to read on different subjects.
Today on the way to the office from court I mentally composed the beginning to the post that is at top. When I got back to the office I opened up my computer and googled "LeBron James (Chosen)" for a picture to accompany the post. I saw the thumbnail of the image now on the header and thought it looked appropriately over-the-top. I clicked on the thumbnail to enlarge it. That's when I first noticed the Chinese script in the background. It's hopeless.
