Painting With Shadows

The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

13:57
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ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

World Cup 2010!

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

What could be more uniting than a nation coming together to support its lads out on the pitch against Johnny Foreigner?

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

Why, patriotism rarely gets this fervent if we’re not actually at war, out there killing Johnny Foreigner!

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

We can all wear matching tops and accessories made by 3rd World Johnny Foreigners and sold back to us at exorbitant prices by other International Corporation Johnny Foreigners!

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

We can eat lots of unhealthy food and drink beer that has our flag plastered all over it, because it’s the patriotic thing to do!

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

We can remind the world that we won in 1966, over and over and over again!

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

And if we play Germany, then we can yell sickening taunts about WWII – all good naturedly of course

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

Doesn’t it make us proud?

ING-ER-LERN-DA!!!

Makes me want to puke.
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22 comments

mapstew said...

:¬)

2:19 pm, June 13, 2010
Anna van Schurman said...

There's an ad over here with Red Coats and Americans on horses dressed in blue colonial outfits that tells us the two things that America got right: cars and freedom. (I wish I were joking.) Jingoism sucks everywhere and isn't related only to world sports matches.

3:50 pm, June 13, 2010
Eryl said...

Blimey!

I love the world cup, any excuse to eat unhealthy food and drink beer, and I do hope that England doesn't get eliminated too soon. I'm rooting for South Africa though, because they seem to need a feeling of unity and, for whatever reason, sporting events seem to boost community morale.

I know what you mean however: I remember that sense of jingoism from my childhood, though I haven't actually experienced it for a long time. And things like the world cup can revitalise it in some people, they don't even have to be English.

4:29 pm, June 13, 2010
savannah said...

well said! i'm watching some well played football when i can. i guess it goes back to when my kids palyed and the association motto was "everybody plays!" xoxoxoxo

4:54 pm, June 13, 2010
Aoife.Troxel said...

Over here, there is a special offer on televisions if France lose. The "French" man in the commercial is talking about the "irlandais and their ging-ger hair," in a horrible French accent parody. Then he gets sucked into a giant vacuum. The narrator says buy a TV now, and get a hundred Euro gift certificate when France lose.....It's so petty.

6:27 pm, June 13, 2010
Mary Witzl said...

FINALLY I am able to access your blog! Fingers crossed that I'll be able to do this again.

Not a football fan either, are you? It bores me senseless. I loathe baseball, cricket and soccer too -- I'm an equal opportunity sports loather. And believe me, Americans are just as jingoistic as any Brit or more so -- not that I'm competitive or anything. :o)

7:51 pm, June 13, 2010
Mimi and Tilly said...

I am thrilled with the whole affair. I have made a note of all England matches, and have scheduled my shopping trips for the exact same time. There were tumbleweeds in Sainsburys this weekend during match time and I thoroughly enjoyed perusing the shelves. I was so made up with myself, I even bought a box of French Fancies.

8:53 pm, June 13, 2010
Mimi and Tilly said...

And thank you for your lovely, supportive comment on my blog. It meant a lot. :)

8:55 pm, June 13, 2010
Pat said...

So it's no good asking you what happens now with the matches for us and US. Do we play someone else?

11:32 pm, June 13, 2010
Vicky said...

Make your blog a world cup free zone, mine is and so is Bloggertropolis

2:06 am, June 14, 2010
Library girl said...

Funnily enough, Australia's advertising for the World Cup is quite understated ... and after getting up at 4am this morning to watch them get creamed by the Germans, it is perfectly understandable :)

2:40 am, June 14, 2010
Unknown said...

I am a fan of sports. I very much have my favorite teams and love watching most events. However I have never learned much about soccer.

I learned the word Jingoism from the comment section though so I feel it was an educational post for me.

I hope you don't puke. After taste is no good.

2:56 am, June 14, 2010
A Daft Scots Lass said...

Im a Scot supporting Bafana Bafana aka South Africa. All the FIFA jokes are coming out already.

Got one this morning: They have just made a Robert Green condom. Its is slippery and you won't catch a thing!

9:11 am, June 14, 2010
Unknown said...

Wow...the World Cup is truly an event. Wonder if it'll ever take off here in the states?

Enjoy!!

9:15 am, June 14, 2010
Kim Ayres said...

Mapstew - :)

Anna - with averagely 3,000 deaths caused everyday by car accidents worldwide (45,000 every year in the USA alone), it could be seen as debateable about getting things right... ;)

Eryl - Unfortunately, the local businesses in South Africa are not benefitting, as the International corporations have managed to create exclusion zones around the 10 stadiums to stop them trading. See The Ugly Truth About the Beautiful Game)

Savannah - When I was a kid no one wanted me in their team - see PE Teachers are Demons from Hell

Aoife - that sounds seriously cringe-inducing!

Mary - I quite like snooker. But then you don't get gangs of yobs striding down the streets wearing t-shirts of their favourite player, getting into fights with someone who prefers a different player

Emma - now that's smart thinking! And I'm glad the comment was meaningful :)

Pat - perhaps we should challenge them to chess?

Vicky - if you follow the link I put in my reply to Savannah, you'll see why this blog is sports-free zone in general :)

Library Girl - surely setting your video on timer would have been easier?

Carole - I used "Jingoism" in the first draft of this post, but it didn't fit in the 2nd draft so was dropped. But as you're the 3rd commenter to use the word, the aura of the word must still have found it's way through :)

Gillian - I'm guessing Robert Green is a goalie...

Roschelle - it's always seemed odd to the rest of the world that this testosterone driven sport is largely seen as a girl's game in the US

5:13 pm, June 14, 2010
V said...

We all have our interests and I'm happy for those who love something to go and enjoy whatever it is that they enjoy. If football's it, then so be it.
The ucharacteristic patriotism is understandable to a point, but I agree with all you say about the ways in which this manifests itself. However, what irritates me more is the Scottish stance of ABE (Anyone But England - look it up on facebook. Argh!). Can't we Scots just be happy that our fellow countrymen and neighbours are having some success where we failed?
On a less ranting note, the Canadian is so obsessed by all things sport that he has even taken up the blogging mantle in celebration of the World Cup. Bizarre, but he's happy. I'll be in Sainbury's too.....genius notion!

9:19 pm, June 14, 2010
pilgrimchick said...

You either really love this or really don't--I never understood the fervor over the World Cup. For me, a World Cup soccer match of England versus anyone was the best time to go to the supermarket when I was living in the UK.

2:39 am, June 15, 2010
Hindsfeet said...

way to see through the ruckus, Kim.....people rarely do.....we're so taken with "ruckus".....one of man's often tragic downfalls...

3:44 am, June 15, 2010
litzi said...

Hi Kim,
And I thought I was the only one who could care less about the World Cup 2010…nice to know others feel the same way!

4:41 am, June 15, 2010
Falak said...

The only time I even bothered about the World Cup was way back in 1998 when France won. For that entire month the only channel on our TV, thanks to my Dad was one that telecasted the World Cup. I've hated it ever since:)

2:49 pm, June 15, 2010
Kim Ayres said...

V - Although the ABE thing has always irritated me, I'm actually hoping England gets knocked out sooner rather than later, so the hysteria will die of rather than increase

Pilgrim Chick - maybe there's an entire range of product labelling to be had of "Not for the World Cup" beer and snacks, to appear on the shelves when the matches are being played

Hindsfeet - creating false divisions is the perfect way for those in power to get the minions to battle each other rather than turn on them. So it is encouraged from school so we are more easily manipulated

Litzi - I think there are a few of us about, but we don't have the sponsorship of big corporations to make our voice heard as loudly...

Falak - I can understand!

3:26 pm, June 15, 2010
Hindsfeet said...

excellent point and keen observation...(your comment above)

5:11 pm, June 17, 2010

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