Spectacular!
This year I had mixed feelings about the setting of the Summer Olympics. I may not understand cultural differences, and I still feel the pain of the Tibetans in their oppression by the Chinese.
But I do love the Olympics.
The opening ceremonies were visually so very dramatic and sweeping that I was absolutely taken in.
Yes, They Got Me!
The next day my mixed feelings were expressed by a group of friends around the lunch table. At first we rankled about the American newscasters and how, during the processional of all the countries’ athletes, they brought up every negative political event.
But - after all - they are newscasters, and they did have to fill the time. I have found that much of human behavior can be brought down to simple things such as filling the broadcast time with something other than silence. The emphasis seems to be on quantity, and not so much on quality. And so we wished the primary Olympic ideals had been the only focus - the presentation of the highest ideals known to man here on earth - the desire for excellence, fueled by passion, tempered by self discipline and measured by competition with others of the same mind, the same devotion.
Soon, however, I noticed my friends and I started drifting toward the same issues, somehow unable to deny the pain we know and somehow feel. When the Sudanese athletic team, we had all been reminded of Darfur and the situation there. If the Wikipedia explanation as to the source of this conflict is correct : “The combination of decades of drought, desertification, and overpopulation are among the causes of the Darfur conflict.”, then we have a lot to look forward to in the global warming effects.
But back to the ideals.
I say the Olympics will do a lot to pull China into the World Culture in a big way. In a fast way. They are, to me, a big and fat, ancient baby with a new and expensive toy (money) that is potentially dangerous.
The best ways to develop a human rights consciousness is to become more visible to the world. I know for myself that when I am more visible, I am more involved, I feel called upon to be more conscientious.
And, I feel more deep satisfaction in that connection.
So let’s party! The Olympics are Fabulous!
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