Broadband Politics » Olympics

Summing-up the Beijing Games

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Like I said

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

I hate to say "I told you so" (actually, I love it, but play along), but the director of the Beijing games' opening and closing ceremonies touts the obedience of his countrymen in boosting his own work:

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

It takes a peculiar aesthetic taste to find thousands of people acting in perfect unison beautiful, and there's no accounting for it. Either you do or you don't, and I'm among those who would rather see individual talent than such displays. The Brit segment during the closing stressed individualism and was therefore much more enjoyable. The Beijing Games were certainly well organized, with a minimum of cheating outside of boxing and women's gymnastics, and flowed well except for problems caused by the climate in Beijing and Hong Kong. Of course it rains in London as well, but it won't be so hot and muggy, and the equestrian events won't be shortened. It's kinda sad that baseball and softball won't be played, but all the events outside the core track and field competitions should be regarded as optional fluff anyhow; the Greeks didn't tumble and play ping-pong, because Britain didn't invent ping-pong until the 19th century.

Hail the new China, just like the old China

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Another day, another deception from the People's Republic of China's Olympics. Remember the cute assemblage of children in colorful ethnic dress carrying the flag in the Opening Ceremony? They weren't what they appeared to be:

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

So we had fake singing, fake fireworks, fake ethnic harmony, fake passports, fake fans bussed in to fill empty seats, fake promises of free speech violated by visa denials and arrested journalists. The Olympics were supposed to be the coming-out party for The New China. Indeed they are, and we've learned that the New China is just like the Old China, only shinier. Don't take my word for it. ask any of the 900 soldiers working the controls under the stadium who had to wear diapers because they weren't allowed to leave their posts for 7 hours. And for more perspective. see Ruth Coniff of The Progressive on The Totalitarian Olympics:

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

America’s new gymnasts

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Like I said

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

Hail the new China, just like the old China

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

America’s new gymnasts

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Broadband Politics » Olympics

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Like I said

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

Hail the new China, just like the old China

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

America’s new gymnasts

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

Broadband Politics » Olympics

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Like I said

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

Hail the new China, just like the old China

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

America’s new gymnasts

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

Broadband Politics » Olympics

Richard Bennett — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:49:34 +0000

The LA Times boils China's Olympics down to their real essence:

Yet what planners in Beijing miscalculated is that no matter how well you teach performers to smile, the strain behind the lips is still detectable. The near-hysterical drive by Chinese leaders to put on the biggest, most spectacular sporting event ever, and to engineer a generation of Chinese medalists regardless of the financial or human costs, is rather more disconcerting to the outside world than convincing. If it was Beijing's intention to prove China's greatness via the Games, what it has demonstrated instead is the fragility of its ego.

Couldn't have said it better myself. So what does this say for the London Games?

British officials are no doubt wondering how they can possibly top the spectacle of Beijing when London hosts the Summer Games in 2012. They shouldn't even try. The British have nothing to prove, and it will be refreshing to watch an event in which athleticism matters more than image. The London Olympics will probably be messier and less awe-inspiring than the Chinese Games, but it's a good bet they'll be more fun

Sports is supposed to be fun, you know. That being said, an opening ceremony featuring Daleks and Cybermen would be welcome.

Like I said

Richard Bennett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:53:32 +0000

China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou, who directed both ceremonies, said only Chinese performers were skilled, disciplined and obedient enough to lay on the sort of song and dance display seen on Sunday night and admired around the world... He also showed little concern for the few critical voices who found the mass organisation of thousands of performers reminiscent of the Soviet era. "I often joke with (foreign interviewers) and say that our level of human performance is second in the world," he said. "Number one is North Korea. Their performances are totally uniform, and uniformity in this way brings beauty. We Chinese can do it too. After hard training and strict discipline, Chinese achieve that as well."

Hail the new China, just like the old China

Richard Bennett — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:41:13 +0000

Media reports said the children were from the Galaxy Children's Art Troupe, which involves young actors and actresses mainly from the dominant Han ethnic group which makes up about 92 per cent of China's 1.3 billion population. But the programme for the four-hour ceremony had said the children were from different ethnic groups. "56 children from 56 Chinese ethnic groups cluster around the Chinese national flag, representing the 56 ethnic groups," read the media guide for the opening ceremony. The fill-ins came as China struggles to keep conflicts with its ethnic groups out of the spotlight during the Olympics.

I would be a lot more excited about the summer Olympics if the host country weren't fielding teams of athletes who are essentially forced laborers. Talk about taking the fun out of sports. Yang Wenjun, a gold medalist in flatwater canoeing, told The New York Times recently that he longs to quit, but can't. The Chinese government refused to let him retire after he won his gold medal in 2004, threatening to cut off the income he and his poor, rice-farming parents live on. Yang's situation is typical. The system of government-run Chinese sports schools takes children as young as 6 years old from their parents and trains them in their chosen sports, forgoing regular education. Stars are pushed to compete through injury, denied rest and medical care, and put through a grueling training regimen.

In the case of gymnastics, children are taken from their families at age three.

America’s new gymnasts

Richard Bennett — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:39:22 +0000

So our best gymnasts are now Nastia Liukin and Sasha Artemev, offspring of highly-decorated Soviet gymnast dads and moms. It's funny how things work out. Twenty years ago, during the height of the Cold War, Valeri Liukin and Vladimir Artemev were slugging it out for the Marxist-Leninist system, and now their children are defeating its remnants on the world stage. Maybe Nastia's and Sasha's kids will be libertarian surfers.