The O-Word Must Not be Allowed on Television
Wed Aug 13, 08:57 | Media$5billion is being wasted right now, and if you tell anyone you’re against it, they look at you as if you just admitted you eat human babies. But I’ll say it anyway:
I’m anti-Olympic on several levels.
For one, the political aspect is depressing at this point. I’m impressed that China is using their heads to piece together parts of little children to make one Perfect Chinese Girl, but they should have at least outright said it instead of letting people treat it like a scandal.
Not only that, holding an event that draws millions of people into a country that has a terrible political climate is a bad idea. Slave provinces and media-silencers make for a lot of people dying and a CG building being placed in so the rest of the world won’t see the rubble.
More depressing, however, is the idea of the Olympics itself.
Fact is, humanity is smart. We have tools to accomplish things that our bodies can’t. For every weightlifter, there is a grocery stock boy with a trolley moving the same load with much less effort and training.
There’s no value in physical human accomplishment anymore. Granted, there is a value in physical activity in the individual (and the western world would sincerely benefit from going for a jog instead of sitting down to watch the next fencing match), but even a man who can run the fastest in the world won’t get to his destination before a car.
Until we start giving gold medals to Nike for the development of their swimsuit technology, I don’t see the reason to praise anyone involved in the swim competitions this year.
Reward the makers of the equipment – the swimsuits, the running shoes. But don’t reward the people who waste their lives jumping, jogging, splashing and lifting for the sake of personal outdated glory.
I feel no pride in my country for participating, and shame for the rest of the world.
I dunno—synchronised diving was pretty awesome.
Also: I know someone playing wheelchair rugby at the Olympics, which pretty much kicks ass.
Also: I think, for the most part, the purpose of good equipment is to make the equipment as little a factor as possible. For instance, having crazy-advanced swimsuits removes the differences in body types and makes the competition a little more… pure? Less about water resistance and more about physical exertion.
That said, I understand why people don’t like the Olympics. I’m just not one of them.
— Aaron Thu Aug 14, 10:18 #
Both of you have your points, but do you ever see all of the players using the exact same equipment. Doesn’t level the playing field. Someone will always have the advantage and shoes with better grip, suits with less resistance and various other ‘gear’ is constantly being made to get as close to cheating as you can get.
As for Jamie, let them have their moment. In ten years they will be forgotten and have to have a paper pushing job with no future. People should get off their hind quarters and use their bodies instead of watching it be done for them. But that is not my main concern.
My problem about the olympics is the attitudes people reveal. Us versus the world! They love it when the “country” wins a medal, and hates it when Canada or the states, or Jamaica don’t place in the top 3. They feel pride for the country and not for the individual who worked for it. At the medal ceremony forget the national anthem play the individuals theme song. Bob ran the track but it’s the country that gets the praise.
Humans are getting more lazy with technology helping us. So it is admiral to see those who get out and shape themselves or make their selves capable to work without tools. Of course they have no reason to work that way, they are striving for money and fleeting fame, not to be healthy and capable. Which pisses me off to see an admirable trait degraded to that.
But that’s just one man’s opinion.
— Lek Thu Aug 14, 13:52 #
The Olympics are about tradition, more than anything. Although within recent years it has become highly…showy.
The Olympics have been around for about 3,000 years and were originally started as a way to come to peace agreements and settle disputes between city-states.
Although victors in the Olympics brought great honor to their city when they won an event, the victor was given the credit, never the country. No one ever said, “Sparta took three laurels in the last Olympics!!! HURHURHURHUR.” Besides, there weren’t THAT many competitions anyway. Do we really need culinary olympics?
srsly
— Zack Fri Aug 15, 14:04 #