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Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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I'm waiting for verification from Quebec City chessplayers, but Alexandre Bissonnette (one of the alleged shooters) appears on the FQE rating list - having played in a few tournaments in Ste-Foy between 2010 and 2013.
There was a picture of him in the Guardian website in front of a regulation vinyl board and plastic pieces though I can't seem to find my way back to the web page. Our condolences to the wounded and the families of the deceased. A senseless act of violence.
Why mention this? It's like saying ----- ----- passed through an elementary school on this or that street, in your hometown. Of course idiots abound. Nothing to do with our great game.
Why mention this? It's like saying ----- ----- passed through an elementary school on this or that street, in your hometown. Of course idiots abound. Nothing to do with our great game.
"A shy chess-player, a bullied introvert, a moderate conservative turned far-right troll — these are the descriptions being offered of Alexandre Bissonnette since he was accused of perpetrating a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque ..."
This is how the CBC chose to begin their online article about the (alleged) killer. Notice the other things listed: a bullied introvert and a conservative turned far right. Presumably, these are intended to provide some sort of "explanation" of the violent behaviour of the suspect. And these things are listed together with "shy chess-player".
Frankly, I read from this the ugly, popular conception that chess players are somehow mentally ill. Maybe it's worthwhile to bear in mind that the MSM is ready, at a moment's notice, to trot out this prejudice for the sake of a "good story". It might be of interest to see whether the French-language media (Radio Canada) also chose to write their story in the same manner.
I don't want to exaggerate things here but I think we should be aware of the ugly prejudices against chess players, just beneath the surface, and be willing to firmly rebuff such bigotry.
Dogs will bark, but the caravan of chess moves on.
Well, he wasn't even a good chess player, not even a dedicated one... so why bother? He was below the average club player level. Played only a few games, like a whole bunch of kids.
Call me back when we have an epidemic of chess masters commiting crimes.
Last edited by Mathieu Cloutier; Wednesday, 1st February, 2017, 03:04 PM.
I don't want to exaggerate things here but I think we should be aware of the ugly prejudices against chess players, just beneath the surface, and be willing to firmly rebuff such bigotry.
Hard time with the example of B.Fischer in the mainstream.
"A shy chess-player, a bullied introvert, a moderate conservative turned far-right troll — these are the descriptions being offered of Alexandre Bissonnette since he was accused of perpetrating a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque ..."
This is how the CBC chose to begin their online article about the (alleged) killer. Notice the other things listed: a bullied introvert and a conservative turned far right. Presumably, these are intended to provide some sort of "explanation" of the violent behaviour of the suspect. And these things are listed together with "shy chess-player".
Frankly, I read from this the ugly, popular conception that chess players are somehow mentally ill. Maybe it's worthwhile to bear in mind that the MSM is ready, at a moment's notice, to trot out this prejudice for the sake of a "good story". It might be of interest to see whether the French-language media (Radio Canada) also chose to write their story in the same manner.
I don't want to exaggerate things here but I think we should be aware of the ugly prejudices against chess players, just beneath the surface, and be willing to firmly rebuff such bigotry.
One can ask, where did this prejudice and perception first arise in the popular culture? And personally I think the answer is: with Bobby Fischer.
The chess world has glorified Fischer for decades. He was the "golden boy" of chess, not just because he was good looking, but because he also put America on the map in chess by upending years of Russian supremacy right in the midst of the Cold War. So Fischer became the personification of popular culture's idea of chess.... appearing on talk shows, on Johnny Carson, in Sports Illustrated, Life magazine and on and on.
And then he turned into this hateful, reclusive, far-something anti-Jew anti-U.S. blubbering idiot. This is when popular culture rebelled against chess itself. An association was formed, and because Fischer was so predominant in the popular culture (the word "chess" immediately brought Fischer to mind for millions of people even beyond America), this association became BURNED INTO the popular culture.
The media is only reflecting the popular culture. The association is still there, as strong as ever. And here we have to recognize the unique aspect of chess, that it is a game of pure mental skill. This means that the only path to success is very strenuous, daily mental work. We try to make chess players seem more like "athletes" because they do also work out physically, but the general public is not fooled. They still perceive that chess is a game of pure mental skill. And unfortunately, this perception only reinforces the association that Fischer formed.
And we can go further and talk about not just chess the game, but organized chess. Organized chess is currently governed by FIDE, which is anything BUT a normal respectable business. It is secretive, rumored to be run by Russian mafia or "thugs". Its President talks about being taken aboard a spaceship and talking with aliens. And he's under sanctions of the U.S. government for possible criminal activities.
The chess world allows this to go on and on, keeping FIDE as its governing body, keeping the same cadre in power, and acting as if nothing bad is going on. FIDE itself acts as a clamp on chess, preventing any kind of meaningful change from getting in. Naturally, all of this acts as yet another reinforcement of the perception of chess as "bad". It was bad, it still is bad, nothing is changing.
Nigel, you can rebuff this till you turn blue in the face. You are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Your efforts will be in vain.
For chess players who do care about the situation and wish something could be done.... well, there's a handful of you existing within a group that is already miniscule in size, so not much likelihood of any mass movement happening. But to even contemplate organizing something, you need to think outside the box. There needs to be a mass repudiation of FIDE. The Universal Rating System we heard about earlier on this forum may be an initial foray into making that happen because it's being offered free, meaning chess federations affiliated with FIDE would lose their primary source of revenue.
As are as whether chess may or may not turn people into deranged killers, I read something years ago about it and can not remember exact wording or even who said it, so I have to paraphrase:
If one has tendencies towards mental illness in any form, the serious study of chess MAY bring those tendencies to the surface.
I agree that that doesn't really say anything solid or tangible. One could equally say the serious study of mathematics or any other mental abstraction could do the same. In Japan and other Asian countries, you often hear about some teenager or 20-something working so hard to get into a prestigious university and having difficulties meeting the high bar for entry.... and suddenly one day going berserk and killing people with a knife or sword.
Perhaps the real message is that serious mental studies of any kind can be taken to excess and present a danger of affecting mental health FOR SOME PEOPLE. This is the message that should be going out. And in terms of chess, the message needs to get out to young students of the game that failure in chess doesn't translate to failure in other mental activities. That is VERY important. Chess is not an indicator of mental worth.
Only the rushing is heard...
Onward flies the bird.
I received a call from a journalist today asking what I know about this guy...have not had a media call about all the great things we do...in a very long time...I will let you figure out what I told him :)
"A shy chess-player, a bullied introvert, a moderate conservative turned far-right troll — these are the descriptions being offered of Alexandre Bissonnette since he was accused of perpetrating a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque ..."
This is how the CBC chose to begin their online article about the (alleged) killer. Notice the other things listed: a bullied introvert and a conservative turned far right. Presumably, these are intended to provide some sort of "explanation" of the violent behaviour of the suspect. And these things are listed together with "shy chess-player".
Frankly, I read from this the ugly, popular conception that chess players are somehow mentally ill. Maybe it's worthwhile to bear in mind that the MSM is ready, at a moment's notice, to trot out this prejudice for the sake of a "good story". It might be of interest to see whether the French-language media (Radio Canada) also chose to write their story in the same manner.
I don't want to exaggerate things here but I think we should be aware of the ugly prejudices against chess players, just beneath the surface, and be willing to firmly rebuff such bigotry.
I think this is a great post!
I am not sure about your final sentence, though. Chess is often associated with intellect as well. It can go either way. But, yes, it can be used powerfully in the negative.
Thanks for your reply Nigel. I didn't realize chess actually came into the media's description of this guy. My suspicion is that reporters and news-peddlers, in their usual 'gather all info and dispense without context' approach are basically fumbling at some kind of cursory explanation where there isn't one, or at least where such an explanation would have to be far more complex. Tragedy creates a vacuum and media is there to fill it with something that convinces us we can prevent similar behaviour in the future. Reminds me of the Marilyn Manson albums and Doom videogame vis a vis the Columbine killers.
I see your point, though. In order for chess to be brought into the discussion at all, there has to be some pre-existing narrative, ie. some cultural connection between chess and mental illness, the sinister notion that somehow the game attracts disordered personalities or -- even worse -- causes them. I totally agree that this kind of thing is foolish and harmful. Who knows? Maybe it is the Fischer factor. Sometimes a ridiculous bias is given a powerful scope by such a sustaining image.
It's also a kind of double-stereotype, ie. mental illness = violence, which can be easily refuted by comparing the ratio of murderers to general population with the often cited 1:5. In any case, maybe it comes down to fear of the unknown. The 'mysterious, dark mind' of the calculating chess player will always be more fertile ground for exaggeration than the life of the football player or pastor or father of two, for the most part because it's less visible, less reducible to dominant social goals, and lends itself less to the narrow definition of what it is to be sane in North America.
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