Guinness World Records is a reference book with all the world records. This includes human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. I call it the genius of Guinness. Really, where else could you find out the heaviest weight dangled from a swallowed sword is 55 lb 1 oz in Italy, on 19 April 2009; within the same flaps containing a story about the longest leg hair being 6.5 in long?
It got me wondering if there was any type of acknowledgement for sportsmanship. Well, during 2008 in North Haven, Connecticut there was something similar. A record was made when twin brothers, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, held the longest tennis rally to benefit charity. They did this for 14 hours and 31 minutes. Incredible.
A 2007 Internet article (China.org.cn) about massive Guinness Records in China discussed how over 5,000 students did push-ups together and more than 10,000 people ate lamb kebabs at the same time among other things. In my opinion, their obsession to create records drives the coordination of thousands of Chinese people. Most of these mass activities focus on traditional Chinese culture and games which makes it interesting as opposed to lame. One of the professors interviewed said he, "worried that under the serious market competition, the Guinness challenges will become more profit-oriented than embodying the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship." Pretty deep.
I hope the Guinness records are around in the same fashion for another 55 years because they allow everyday people to be memorable. Although many of the records don't involve physical strength, they involve passion and adrenaline. It's also one of the most stolen books from public libraries in the United States which means I better check my teenager's room!
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This was an interesting article. I loved and still do love to read the Guinness World Record book my friends and I always use to look up the most ridiculous world records. The one that I can remember the most was the long fingernails that curled over, that image is still in my brain. I'm glad most of the records are not physical challenges because I agree with you, it allows "normal" people to be able to be apart of something epic and memorable.
ReplyDeleteI liked this article. It was very interesting not something typically talked about in this class. I used to love looking through the World Record books to read all the absurd records in there. That longest leg hair record is pretty disgusting by the way. The one I remember that I was just talking about with my family is this girl that now holds the record for most amount of text messages sent in a month. The record is 14,000. This amazed my family. But texting is a part of life now. If you can't text you better learn quickly. However who ever the girl is that holds the record, I am pretty sure I have already surpassed that. But you are right it allows everyday people to be a part of a great thing.
ReplyDeleteThose books are pretty cool if you can get your hands on one. They use to have that show to where they would go around the world and videotape people breaking records. I like how you said it gives anybody a chance to be remembered. nice blog
ReplyDeleteThe Guinness book of world records are something that I could look through for hours. Almost each and every record makes one's mouth drop to the floor, followed by "how the hell did he/she/they do that?" There is something to do be said for anything that gets that kind of reaction. Although a lot of these records are, well borderline odd, they create an enormous amount of will and/or a collection of people working together towards an achievement, which is pretty remarkable. Hopefully marketers don't ruin the spirit of the records, like they ruin it with every other competition. Now I'm trying to think about a cool record I could possibly break...
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