boycotting the olympics

[kir mokum]

i think you completely missed my point myra.

i don't really feel like defending someone else's opinion about the olympics and i barely feel like defending my own. my point is that athleticism and the event itself is incidental as far as the IOC is concerned. it could be anything. if no one was interested in the event they would probably just switch gears and do something different. they wouldn't keep it going for the sake of the games or athleticism. the real mandate is business (obviously). their stated mandate is basically PR. just like (almost) any business.

personally, my opinion of the olympics simply follows from my opinions of sports, business, politics, globalization, local economies, etc. i really don't give a shit about the olympics, the athletes, or having road to avonlea preempted for 2 weeks.

i think the problem with this discussion so far is some people are talking about the mechanics of the olympics and the IOC (the business) and some people are talking about the event itself (the product). and some people missing even that and talking about the spectators (consumers) and athletes (widgets in the product). i also think that not very many people in this thread (if any) have thought about it very much either.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by Phrenetic

sorry your right! its not about country's and people coming together at all. its a TV show, like friends or So you think you can dance!

Actually no, it's a competition dressed up like one. But it's not really that first thing you said either.

[ebbomega]

One final point.

Big businesses market and exploit for the purpose of money A LOT of things. They don't call them all "The Olympics", so that's not what The Olympics are about. I agree pretty much with diva. No athleticism and it's not the Olympics, it's something else.

[Chewy]

[cinist]

[stephen_c]

Beijing Duck 2008

[b0ld]

Anyone can arguably point fingers at any country for some type of wrong doing in this world, whether if its a political view on a global or national scale. There is no such thing as a "perfect government".

I think that the olympics is a perfect example of the unification in this world that shows anyone that they can achieve goals if they believe in themselves (win or loss). These athlete's are role models for generations to come.

[Revolver]

Originally Posted by Phrenetic

the Olympics are not about Athleticism at all. is about the Olympic spirit , goodwill and humanity.

[cinist]

[Clayton.]

Originally Posted by project.one

bad karma from brent?
now my life is over!

You care enough about bad karma to make the effort of posting about it?

[prozac]

Originally Posted by Grapes

You're steering it wrong.

A lot of what you said is perfectly legit. But let me back up a sec here..

True statement (? arguably): The olympics aren't really about sports.

False statement (not arguably!): The olympics aren't at all about sports.

exactly what I was saying.

[hardstylin]

nice, im sure you just taught china a valuable lesson in something...

[rawb]

PUBEBEARDS 4 CHANGE CAFEPRESS STORE COMING SOON OBV l

HOPEFULLY SHIRTS ARENT MADE IN CHINA

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by prozac

exactly what I was saying.

I'm here to help, Jess.

[C_squared]

Yeah hai...womens volleyball... you can't boycott that shit. can't stop, won't stop.

[rawb]

I VOLUNTEER MYSELF TO HELP THE USA WOMENS INDOOR VOLLEYBALL TEAM REFOCUS AFTER CRUSHING DEFEAT TO CUBA l

[decypher]

Originally Posted by b0ld

perfect example of the unification in this world that shows anyone that they can achieve goals if they believe in themselves (win or loss).

I thought that was the same rhetoric the neocon's used as they cashed in on the public.

[dabbler]

Boycotting the Olympics isn't even just about Tibet, it's worth not supporting just on what they have done to their own people in Bejing. 1.25 million people forced out of work, out of their homes and out of their city?

I have a hard time understanding how they were given the Olympics 8 years ago by the IOC, considering that nothing has ever improved in their regime's decisions.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Chewy

Housing Again: Resources : Atlanta's Olympic Legacy: More Poverty, Less Freedom
As Olympics Approach, Homeless Are Not Feeling at Home in Atlanta - New York Times


Oh Right, I forgot how much better they were handled when they were in North America.

Or Sydney:

Sydney's homeless to be removed for Olympics

[robyn]

i have this idea for 2010 where we round up all the homeless and drop them off in an interior ghost town, thus creating a reality show i've dubbed 'screaming derelict nation'

[kir mokum]

that's only slightly better than city council's idea of rounding them up and dropping them off ina suburb.

[fritz]

selected elite olympic athletes get to drive the bulldozer for each 10 mile section

[Grapes]

Front of dozer set on fire to represent Olympic spirit / move along vagrants that much faster

[mojo]

I'm enjoying the humerous twist in this thread, kudos guys

[Grapes]

Robyn's idea is so awesome I just had to contribute.