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B.A.C.A.H.
2012 Aug 5, 2:34pm
Well for the host country, if it's a totalitarian state, it can be about something else: the peak of the arrogance.
Hosting a Totalitarian Olympics has been the apex of the Totalitarian State. Once you've peaked, the only direction is downhill. Whether you are Nazi Germany (1936) or Soviet Union (1980), or Communist Sarajevo (1984), a Totalitarian Olympics has meant freedom in nine +/- 2 years.
If the past repeats then the Chinese people will be free in about five years or so. Let's hope it looks more like revolution in Russia in 1991 than the Nazi scorched earth carnage in Germany in 1945.
In the majority of instances instances, the athletes praise who they praise for personal gain. In America, it makes more sense to praise yourself, although many will say they are happy to win for America, it's good PR.
In places like China and North Korea, it is much more beneficial to praise the country over yourself, the country will reward you for doing so.
Tenpoundbass
2012 Aug 5, 11:55pm
In places like China and North Korea, it is much more beneficial to praise the country over yourself, the country will reward you for doing so.
In China individuality is a Defect.
MoneySheep
2012 Aug 7, 12:44am
Update.
May be it is all about the money behind it. Here is an additional "facts" from Wall Street Journal wsj.com
"The Chinese government launched an effort to top the medals chart after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, called Project 119, and boosted funding in swimming, gymnastics and weightlifting.
In comparison, the U.S. Olympic swim team, like the U.S. Olympic Committee, receives no government funding and relies on corporate sponsorships and private contributions."
Peter P
2012 Aug 7, 1:13am
I loved the opening ceremony. It had Mr. Bean.
The messages were better this time too. It reminded that a nation is the sum of individuals. The Beijing ceremony gave the impression that people were just pixels.
Otherwise, Olympics is a total waste of money. I hope they will never have one in the Bay Area. What a nightmare.
Peter P
2012 Aug 7, 1:47am
Golf is much more interesting. At the top, missing a putt can mean a loss of $200K. Now, that is quite something.
China's Yi Siling wins first gold medal of London 2012. "It was very exciting,” said Yi afterwards. “I'm very happy. I'm very grateful to China and to my mother and father who I love very much."
How about this one. The story broke early this morning when officials were checking soundness of horses in today's round of horse jumping. A horse of Canada has a nick on his coronet band, the location immediately above the hoof. However, with the statement of hypersensitivity, that changes things. The ground judges ruled that the horse Victor cannot compete and is disqualified.
We can debate about the call by the judges. Rules are rules.
What is being said is more enlightening. “What happened today was devastating to me,'' said Foster, the rider, later.
Now, wait a minute. Olympics is about your country, not about you. The correct type of expression should be something like ...."What happened today was devastating to Canada ...
I also watched Michael Phelps interview with NBC, yes, it was all about me, me, me.
No doubt when people are working and representing their country first, the country will one day become great.