[sumo] Scholarly Mark West article for all to read.

[Barbara]

Kuramarujo wrote:
> On Thu, 2007-08-16 at 15:36 -0400, Scott Kahn wrote:
> 
>> Might I suggest that everyone read : "LEGAL RULES AND SOCIAL NORMS IN 
>> JAPAN'S SECRET WORLD OF SUMO" by Mark D. West in The Journal of Legal 
>> Studies, Vol. 6 No. 1 © 1997 The University of Chicago, pp. 165-201.  
>>
>> After reading this article, according to its dissertation, Asashoryu 
>> broke the most important consideration of the Kyokai, a loss of cash 
>> inflow. 
> 
> 	Heh, I said that it all came down to money way back in the very
> beginning of this discussion.  I may not know much about Sumo or Japan
> (or anything else for that matter) but I do know that everything, and I
> mean EVERYTHING, comes down to money/wealth in the end.  If there's a
> single copper to make on something that's the fundamental driving force.

I think that's a very Western viewpoint.  The Japanese like money as 
much as anyone, and they know it is a necessity for Sumo to be 
financially independant, but there is more.  Given a choice between 
money and tradition, the elders will generally choose tradition.  Sumo 
has resisted commercialization to a surprising extent.  Some advertising 
opportunities are lost, for instance, because they might interfere with 
the traditional pace and presentation of sumo.  American football and 
other commercial sports are a big contrast to sumo.  Sumo is unique. 
There's money there, but the level of corruption that the money has 
caused the sport is very limited, and that can only be due to the 
influence of deeply held beliefs and commitments. What happened to 
Greco-Roman wrestling?  Think of that sport as the "sumo" of the West.
Barbara Murasakihana