Abstract
This reading alerts us that Americans hold no monopoly on popular culture. Geertz relates both the various events surrounding and the deeper cultural meaning of an example of popular culture, cockfighting on a South Pacific island. He contrasts his interpretation of engaging in “deep play” (extremely high stakes activities) with Jeremy Bentham’s famous earlier characterization of irrational behavior. For Geertz, cockfighting in Bali engages central cultural values such as honor, dignity, and respect. Thus, rather than seeing Balinese men betting unreasonable amounts of money on a mere game, Geertz portrays what appears as play to be a deadly serious struggle over relative status.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bateson, G., and M. Mead. 1942. Balinese character: A photographic analysis. New York.
Belo, J. 1970. The Balinese temper. In Traditional Balinese culture, edited by J. Belo. New York.
Berelson, B. R., P. Lazarsfeld, and W. N. McPhee. 1954. Voting: A study of opinion formation in a presidential campaign. Chicago.
Frye, N. 1964. The educated imagination. Bloomington, IN.
Geertz, C. 1959. Form and variation in Balinese village structure. American Anthropologist 61: 94–108.
Goffman, E. 1961. Encounters: Two studies in the sociology of interaction. Indianapolis.
Goodman, N. 1968. Languages of art. Indianapolis.
Hooykaas, C. 1958. The Lay of the Jaya Prana. London.
Korn, V. 1933. De Dorsrepuhliek tnganan Pagringsingan. Santpoort, Netherlands.
Korn, V. 1932. Het Adatrecht van Bali, 2d ed. The Hague.
Langer, S. 1953. Feeling and form. New York.
Merleau-Ponty, M. 1964. The eye and the mind. In The primacy of perception. Evanston, IL.
Ricoeur, P. 1970. Freud and philosophy. New Haven.
Weber, M. 1963. The sociology of religion. Boston.
Wollheim, R. 1968. Art and its objects. New York.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 2000 Lane Crothers and Charles Lockhart
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Geertz, C. (2000). Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight. In: Crothers, L., Lockhart, C. (eds) Culture and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-62965-7_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-62965-7_10
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-0-312-23300-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-62965-7
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)