Spheres of influence. Article by Franklin Foer, about how the rise of Planet Footy shows "the limits of globalisation as much as its strengths". Franklin interviewed me a while ago for his new book: our topic was the religious and ethnic rivalry that still stamps the relationship between Celtic and Rangers, Scotland's two main football clubs. I'm glad to see he's integrated my main point:
Glasgow has kept alive its tribalism, despite the logic of history, because it provides a kind of pornographic pleasure. Thousands of fans arrive each week from across the whole of Britain, in ferries from Belfast and buses from London, all aching to partake in a few hours of hate-filled tribalism. Once they release this bile from their system, they can return to their comfortable houses and good jobs.
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