I was playing NBA Live 09[1] on Playstation 3 the other day. Yep, Michelle Huxtable is very versatile. Of course I was playing with the Lakers.[2] So Lamar Odom does a little spin move to the basket and dunks. Then, the commentators make an observation.
“You look at Lamar Odom and you see a guy who was just born to play basketball. Those long arms, that 6′ 11″ frame…”
That is word for word what the announcer said. You can test this for yourself. Play with the Lakers and just make Lamar Odom score once or twice. I guarantee you they will make that comment. I found this interesting because a sports game incorporated the idea, unknowingly I’m sure, of biological determinism.
For one, there are other aspects of biological determinism other than the part I’m going to focus on. You can do more research on it, if you like. It’s actually really interesting. But back to the point. The idea of people being “born” to do something is something you’ve probably heard before. I have nothing against this. It’s when it’s applied to entire races that it obviously becomes a problem.
If you’ve ever had a discussion on why there are more Black people in sports like football, basketball, and track and field instead of golf, croquet, and lacrosse. Somebody will bring up the idea that Black people are more adept to football, basketball and track because it takes greater endurance, our body frame is built for it, etc. “Usain Bolt is fast because he’s Jamaican. Kobe Bryant is proficient in basketball because he’s black. It’s what he was born to do.”
You hardly hear it stated in such crass terms but that’s the essence of what people are saying or thinking. When I hear arguments like this it just makes me wonder if people read history books anymore. Basketball and Track and Field, and baseball and probably any other sport we play nowadays were once considered White Men Sports.
There is of course the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Hitler and the Nazi’s whole doctrine was based on Aryan’s being the master race so of course in the Olympics they were expected to win everything. Whites had to be better than an African-American, right? Because it’s in their genes. But then when it was shown that we(Jessie Owens) can compete on the same level as, and sometimes better than, them it all changed. Of course we’re better at track and field, we were born for physical labor.
I’m not trying to disprove the whole biological determinism idea because I’m sure it’s valid elsewhere, but the reason we are so prevalent in those sports is because of several reasons.
The Lakers in 1950
The Lakers in 2009. Two Black Players, a Spaniard, and a Slovenian? Ok. We're in there. Next venture.
One – a change in society. Remember every black history month how we’d always learn about the same people – Martin Luther King, Jr, Harriet Tubman, and Jackie Robinson? Yep. There was a time when African-Americans weren’t allowed to participate in sports and once they let us in we kind of took over. This is just a theory so don’t go basing a doctrine off of it but I think that it was once a privilege to be able to play sports and it was kind of honored. But now that it’s so common, it’s become a problem.
Another reason we are seen more in those sports is because to play basketball all you need is a ball and a rim. A net would be nice too but it’s not necessary. When’s the last time you saw a tennis court in a lower income neighborhood? A lacrosse field? Lacrosse is an expensive sport, too. You need sticks and other gear that can get pretty expensive. Basketball can, too. Shoes, AAU camps, and things like that but you aren’t going to invest that money unless your kid is dunking from the half court line to begin with. So another reason is just availability.
The last reason that you hear the argument of biological determinism is because people need a reason, an explanation, as to why Blacks are achieving. When’s the last time you heard, “Of course Steve Jobs made Apple successful, he’s from San Francisco. Everyone out there can run a company.” You don’t hear that because it’s expected of him to be able to run that company. And when an explanation finally comes to light it has to be attributed to something in our genes, not hard work – “He was born with that ability.” Or it’s a supernatural occurrence – “Michael Jordan can fly.”
He can fly by the way. That's just not the point.
Scientific racism and biological determinism are terms you here in a sociology class or a class on historical racism. It’s usually taught about in past tense and I just find it interesting that in a game that was released in 2009, it is still in the forefront of some minds.
[1] We can debate the NBA 2K vs NBA Live franchises on some other post.
[2] I know I just lost a reader or two with my team being the Lakers.
[3] Points if you know where today’s title came from/ what it was influenced by.
Michelle,
Your post makes me think of a book I read recently called 'Outliers' by Malcolm Gladwell. He explains that while many of us come up with simplistic reasons why some people are successful there are actually very specific and hidden reasons for certain peoples success.
And yeah people don't know history. I remember seeing a doc about boxer Jack Johnson and how Whites during that time believed that they were physically superior to Blacks becasue of genetics. So it's ironic, as you say, that now Whites say that Blacks are superior because of genetics.
I also find your thoughts that Black success needs to be explained while White success is viewed as normal very interesting and very true.
I'll have to check out that book. Yep, just like you said. It's interesting that we once weren't allowed to play because we were inferior but now we're superior because of genetics. Exactly!
Wow! Well written! Interesting thoughts and I your points are well supported. Yes, why does there always have to be an explanation for out knowledge, skills and abilities? Hmmmm II'm stumped on where the title of this post originates from. I could Google it but cheating is not in my genes! Looking forward to the next post. Laker fan for life!
haha Everic answered the question – It's a Ginuwine song 'In those Jeans' Lakers for life!
1. NBA 2K is the superior basketball game..
2. Despite your Laker fan-hood, I'll still read haha. KNICKS ALL DAY (yeah I said it)
3. Ginuwine – In Those Jeans.. really dope track by one of the last great crooners of R&B
I think you're right. Biological determinism is still alive and well. It's the same reason we think Asians are good at math. If we could seriously find a quantifiable means to measure each race's aptitude for certain activities, then this myth would either be dispelled or believed even more. I'm sure that people would scoff at the idea of testing for it though…
Ok, I see either I need to write about the 2k vs Live debate or you need to address a Dear EA Sports post lol And thanks for excusing my fanhood and continuing to read! I'll overlook your Knicks illness lol Congrats you win 2 cyber points of coolness for knowing where the title came from!
I find it interesting that you think if we could quantify aptitude in race that these myths would be dispelled because I think that's the basis of scientific racism. When people would measure the skulls of different races and conclude that Whites had larger heads thus larger brains thus smarter, etc. I think once you quantify anything it allows you to rank it. (Best to worst, smartest to dumbest) Once it starts being ranked, people start judging, and I think that makes it worse.
Michelle,
You gained several points due to the fact that you are a Laker fan, and your can actually compete on Playstation. Your blog is thought provoking and really is a snapshot of how polarized our nation is today. When African Americans choose to do something with their lives other than sports or entertainmen (rappers??) our conservative racist Republicans have this sense that they are "out of place". I wonder how many people know how brillant Kobe Bryant is from an Academic stanpoint? The President of The United States who happens to be an African Amercan was a Harvard Law Professor imagine that !
African American have made amazing acheivements inspite of a unlevel playing field. Truthfully, we need to have a greater appreciation for one another simply just as fellow human beings.
That's crazy they said that on the game..I don't really play video games but I think it's great that you do…I knew where the title came from too but I see someone else already got it (wassup Everic)
Malcom Gladwell has great books..I need to read that one because I read "Tipping Point" which was one of the few books I actually read for class in college…Great read once again…
Yeah the first time I heard it I was just like *cock head to side* that sounds wrong. But I kept playing. Then since the comments loop on NBA Live 09 (one of the many complaints) he said it again and I was like that's biological determinism! Maybe not the average response but that was mine lol And yeah I'll def need to check out this Gladwell guy!
Props to Gladwell as well, I also read The Tipping Point at the request of a former boss. Gladwell also includes two chapters of case studies, situations in which tipping point concepts were used in specific situations. These situations include the athletic shoe company Airwalk, the diffusion model, how rumors are spread, decreasing the spread of syphilis in Baltimore, teen suicide in Micronesia, and teen smoking in the U.S.
Wow ok! Three people have recommended it to me so now I absolutely have to go check it out. Thanks!
Very good points! I don't try to explain why a certain ethnic group is better in one than in another because, eventually, there will be someone to break that thinking anyways. Whoever trains well has the same opp. I just hope Usain Bolt is legit….we don't need anymore track & field drug allegations and I don't care what country you're from.
Seriously. Any time an athlete (black, white, or any other race) does really well or breaks a record, in the back of my mind I'm always thinking, "I hope no drug scandal follows."
Good post today!
I remember someone in my class tried to classify certain sports as being for black people and for white people. He said, "Why else is baseball such a lily-white sport?" That pissed me off because 1) It's pretty diverse, so he doesn't even know his facts, and 2) It's hard to facilitate certain sports like baseball when you need to have 18 kids, all with gloves and a field and everything like that. I like that part of your argument.
On a random note: I would just honestly worry for Usain Bolt's safety if he used steroids. I read in Sports Illustrated that Jamaican citizens said if they found out he used them, he would likely be killed because he's such a source for pride in Jamaica. All the kids want to grow up and be Usain Bolt. I'm not to worried though. I think he's legit.
And yeah, I know it's an old post, but I never commented on it before.
Thanks for the comment, Sam. Great point about the materials needed to play such sports as lacrosse or baseball.
Definitely read "Outliers" it is an amazing book!!
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I really want to get my chubby little paws on this! I can already feel my grades going down until I complete the game!
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