My 2 cents:
I agree with the hypothesis M. Sullins has crafted, and would like to
add another, probably less important (but nevertheless contributing)
element: until about mid 20th century (in some cases a little more
recent or earlier than that),
a) fencing was an integral part of military training, and
b) military training covered a large number of adults in the
population.
With the creation of more specialized, professional military forces
and the reduction of the idea of even temporary conscription (a
development that I applaud, but can't enjoy yet as an Italian-Turkish
citizen), the number of people going through an experience that
involved fencing among other things (and fencing with direct/indirect
relation to real violence in a sense; or at least that's what the
military believed; also a crucial difference) diminished considerably.
In places that temporary conscription still exists, fencing was
removed from the training programs, thus eliminating that category as
well. I can still think of a few institutions with fencing programs (I
believe the Carabinieri in Italy have one, and they have had
successful Olympic level fencers from their team), but I do not think
that is the rule, but rather the exception.
As for the comparison of Europe and the level of interest in fencing
there; I can say this much: yes, the level of interest in fencing
might be more pronounced in Europe, but in my experience, a majority
of "the people on the street" would not think about it, or think it is
just another obscure Olympic oddity. How many people watch, think
about, like, or participate in fencing today? While in terms of
fencers the numbers might look promising, statistics is a dangerously
innocent and straightforward looking game.
In terms of people who are interested in it as spectators, we would
surely see hours of fencing on TV everywhere in a world where the
media is extremely careful in catering to anything that will attract a
substantial attention (thus profits from a variety of sources). So
where is it? I haven't seen a single bout recently on RAI, Italia1,
Rete4, Canale 5, etc. in Italy, with the exception of a few short
sport-news items, and a recent Women's final in a World championship,
featuring an Italian fencer. I didn't enjoy much of what I've seen
either, for that matter. On Turkish, English, French channels I have
never seen fencing in my life, period. Maybe I missed it, or maybe
there's an evil conspiracy by the media bosses who for some reason
want to throw away the tons of money they can make by catering to the
large and enthusiastic fencing crowd?
Compare this to the thousands that came just to watch a single bout,
in a world without TV, but with tons of economic depression and a few
world wars to add spice to life, and there's a quite significant and
unfortunate (in both senses of the term) difference.
So even if the level of interest in fencing (classical or sport) might
be seen as higher in Europe, in historical perspective, the popularity
of fencing is a mere shadow of what it used to be.
One last word: I grew up watching swashbucklers although they were old
when I was a child; watched pirate films, watched Spartacus and any
Roman warfare film I could see; was very interested in all things that
involved a sword, like millions of people in this world. Many of my
friends were like me. Now, I am the only person among them who has
actually discovered fencing. There's a problem there.
Axel B Corlu
--- In
classicalfencing@yahoogroups.com, "Brian D. Schenck"
<bdschenck@y...> wrote:
> --- John Sullins <j_sullins@c...> wrote:
> > How can a sport that was once able to attract huge audiences
decline to the
> > state that fencing is at today? I have researched this question
for a
> > number of years now and my conclusion at this time is that amature
fencing
> > is its own worst enemy. The decline in interest of this sport
happens in
> > the late 40's and early 50's long after the decline of dueling so
that
> > theory is out. But this period does mark the full scale adoption
of
> > electric scoring to foil, epee being electrified around 1938.
This is also
> > when the so-called "pistol" grips became more abundant as well.
> > Additionally fencing by this period is fully dominated by the
Olympics and
> > adapting the game to fit this venue and professional fencing dies
out
> > altogether. These technological and social developments have
worked to take
> > the sport from a compelling match of physical and intellectual
prowess to
> > one that pits the speed and brute force of each competitor against
each
> > other as measured by imperceptible lighting fast "touches"
registered by the
> > electronic scoring apparatus. Hence the real focus of attention
in a bout
> > is not the fencers, they are only a means to the end, it is the
lights that
> > matter the most. So fencing is about a fun to watch as someone
leaping
> > across the room to turn on a light switch. No wonder the crowds
have turned
> > away. One has to stand in awe at the ability of the fencing
establishment
> > to fail at selling romance, athletic skill and violence, three
things that
> > people have always been willing to spend money on.
> >
> I would be interested in this, as I have my own question regarding
the
> conclusions that you reached and the manner in which you reached
them. While
> the development of technology not doubt impact the environment that
fencing
> developed in, that sport fencing still enjoys a large amount of
popularity in
> Europe and other countries -- it does not explain why it has not
enjoyed the
> same popularity here in the United States. If such developments as
these were
> universal in nature, one would have expected the popularity of
fencing to have
> declined in Europe as well as in the United States.
>
>
> -Brian
>
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