Comments for The problem with the Olympics at http://www.adamsmith.org , comment 1 to 7 out of 7 comments http://www.adamsmith.org Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:52:15 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-47 Thank you for expressing what I have always found rather disquieting about the Olympics. Although Eddie (The Eagle) Edwards also reflected my concerns after the UK Minister of Sport made a disparaging remark about him and other happy amateurs like him, with little chance of reaching the podium. I think he said that, by those standards, the person who comes second is the first loser. Bill Young - Bill Young Thu, 17 Apr 2008 21:49:51 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-46 I've enjoyed many great Olympic moments, but there will always be a taste of the Leni Riefenstahl about the games. And all my great sporting memories are in other events, usually the crawling but brilliant chaos of professional team sport. - Sammy Morse Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:19:27 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-45 I'm not sure thereis growing distate for the Beijing Olympics per se. I think people do tend to still see the Olympics as a sporting event and are generally relaxed that all sorts of countries will get to hold it... I think there *is* a distate for the Chinese establishment holding parades in a series of foreign cities. That doesn't feel like a sporting event (because it isn't) it felt more like a political rally. I went and demo'd against the torch not because I am against having the Olympics in Beijing (I don't mind) and not because I am unduly exercised about Tibet (yes, it's bad..but so are lots of things). I went because I felt the chinese govt were parading self-importantly around london and therefore quite deserved to be booed. If Mugabe held a parade down whitehall I'd go and boo that as well. - botogol Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:52:09 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-44 For my part, I find it very hard to watch the opening ceremony of the games without seeing a combination Nuremberg Rally/Red Army Parade. The hortatory tones in which everyone involved with the wretched spectacle seems to speak only reinforces the impression. I recall lampooning Tessa Jowell's hectoring before London was allotted the 2012 games by casting it as one of those awful Stalinist communiques in which everyone is urged to stand united against wreckers and saboteurs. The Chinese carping about 'splittists' and 'Tibet scum' make it rather more on the mark than before. - David Gillies Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:46:57 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-43 Ian, Glad you enjoyed last night. Sorry about the TNG list - we're having a few technical difficulties at the moment. If you send an email to tng@adamsmith.org with your details, I'll make sure you're signed up. - Blog Administrator Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:13:49 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-41 Thanks for the invitation to the event last night - Although I must have been one of the youngest people there, it was great. I tried to sign up for the Next Generation mailing list here at ASI, but it didn't work - something about kirkcaldy.adamsmith.org not found. Ian Whickham - IanWhickham Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:53:24 +0100 http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/media-and-culture/the-problem-with-the-olympics-200804171235/#comment-36 For me, this is the lurking cultural mistake behind the Olympics ... which is nicely summed up by the rather sinister slogan "One World, One Dream". I would prefer "One World (so far), ~6.7 billion (possibly overlapping) dreams". - Ed Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:30:02 +0100