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Monday, June 14, 2010

Those damn Vuvuzelas

Yes, I’m writing about the vuvuzelas, those horns people use during the football matchs. It might not have much to do with religion, but wait for it, there is an element that is related.

Ok, so far there is something that most of us know about the vuvuzelas: they are annoying. First time I noticed that was from my friend Kokyjabn, who complained about it. Then I saw it on Time, and then knew it was an issue for many. It’s even a trending topic in twitter.


According to Time, viewers, players and broadcasters hate them. Also, they can damage hearing and won’t let people hearing anything else. However, the organizers refuse to ban them

'Vuvuzelas are here to stay and will never be banned,' said spokesman Rich Mkhondo. 'Look at them as part of our culture in South Africa to celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup. As our guests please embrace our culture, please embrace the way we celebrate.'


The problem is that this part of their culture is not just annoying, but hazardous to health (they blow 127 decibels, a power saw blows 110, try putting that near your ears), and interferes with the game. Yet, its use is allowed.

This is what is wrong with political correctness and the idea that anything from other culture must be embraced and protected because it is inherently good. It is not. The vuvuzelas show it at its best.

No matter how much a group of people might love that “part of their culture”, those artifacts are hazardous, annoying and nonsensical, loved only by some, but bothering and affecting many. Just like, well, you know, right? Logic would tell us to scratch them off the game, not just because a few (they are not few) unimportant (players are not unimportant) might not like them, but because there are actual reasons to do so. Yet, tradition and “culture” prevails in a society that is tending to allow anything foreign, no matter the consequences, because of the fear of being “nativist”, “intolerant” or worse, “racist”. Yes, many are that subscribe to those terms, but stopping doing the logical to protect the cultural is not just wrong. It’s stupid.

Bonus: The New Scientist explains why vuvuzelas are so annoying

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Blasfema libremente

"Que esté permitido a cada uno pensar como quiera; pero que nunca le esté permitido perjudicar por su manera de pensar" Barón D'Holbach
"Let everyone be permitted to think as he pleases; but never let him be permitted to injure others for their manner of thinking" Barón D'Holbach