Originally posted by robbie carrobie
This is fine GB, the mans humanity is awesome and truly admirable, but these emotions are merely reactions to the permutations of the chess board, like looking at a Kaleidoscope and feeling some sense of wonderment at the pretty patterns. Will it teach us humility, empathy? honour and dignity? I used to think so but now I realise that these are simply ...[text shortened]... nd virtuous, but I think its full of egotism and jealousy and is no more nutritious than a mars bar.
"Emil Reubens was 86 years old when he died, an extraordinary man who believed that mankind could become rehabilitated through Chess. Chess is more than life and can change a person to benefit Society." (OP)
Though I enjoyed seeing the inside of a prison and meeting a number of inmates over the chess board and was well aware of E.M.'s claims, the tangible achievement of his rehabilitation goals was never apparent to me except in the news media.
"... that mankind could become rehabilitated through Chess." strikes me as a grandiose wish and an inordinate expectation.
Originally posted by robbie carrobie
"This is fine GB, the mans humanity is awesome and truly admirable, but these emotions are merely reactions to the permutations of the chess board, like looking at a Kaleidoscope and feeling some sense of wonderment at the pretty patterns.
Will it teach us humility, empathy? honour and dignity? I used to think so but now I realise that these are simply ideals we wish to imbue it with, reflections of ourselves. If it was able to rehabilitate, chess players would be all of these things, but they are not, they talk of crushing and wiping and blowing others away, of ripping their heads off (Nigel Short in regard to his match with Kasparov) etc etc Id love to think it was able to make us noble and virtuous, but I think its full of egotism and jealousy and is no more nutritious than a mars bar."
robbie, in my view reflections on the game of chess are a uniquely personal matter. To some it's a pleasant pastime and nothing more. To others it's a competitive event tantamount to a miniaturized version of war. To a others it's a professional vocation; and the sole means of tournament and simultaneous events and/or teaching income to a few. To Emil Reubens chess was all of these things and more. His mentorship was certainly an indelibly humbling experience for yours truly.