printFour years ago, I wrote the following in a column about Athens titled “Compete, Don’t Kill”:
“The Olympics is the kind of event that looms sufficiently large – for two weeks every two years – to shunt the kleptocracy to the sidelines, revealing it as the freak show it truly is.
The eager young faces, the lithe, lean bodies, the unabashed pursuit of victory (even the Canadians, well-indoctrinated about the evils of competitiveness, couldn’t suppress cries of “merde” and “crap” when they lost a swimming relay), the brutal regimen required to become the best, the irrepressible spirit that compels athletes to submit to the grueling grind. It is all so very exhilarating – no “shock and awe,” just awe. Some cheat to achieve an unnatural advantage over their adversaries, but for the most part, the Olympics are an expression of unadulterated merit – a concept that has been degraded beyond rehabilitation in almost all other human endeavor.
The acme of athletic achievement, expressed in the immutable truths of speed, strength and skill, is uncontested. The charmed men and women gracing the podiums of modern Olympia are there for no other reason than that they are the finest in their fields. What greater contrast can there be between the Olympian, who powers himself to the pinnacle, and the politician, who drapes himself in the noble toga of idealism, in the famous words of Aldous Huxley, so as to conceal his will to power.”
“It was as though the state and its hobgoblins – meant to keep everyone scared and subservient – had drowned in the swimming pool of Athens.”
Cut to Beijing, 2008: The fabulous Michael Phelps is once again forging ahead undisturbed–the greatest swimmer ever. He won the “400m IM in 4 minutes, 3.84 seconds, shattering his own world record in the process.” Ryan Lochte was resplendent in third place.
The rosy, sweet-smiling face of the American fencers said it all: the three, well-spoken, impressive young ladies secured gold, silver and bronze in the women’s sabre fencing event.
In 2004, we witnessed the come back of the legendary Martina Navratilova at age 47. The same spirit of sportsmanship and skill saw Dara Torres, 41, power the American team into second place in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Her time was “second-fastest in the morning final.”
No superlatives do justice to our gymnasts.
I hope the U.S. men’s basketball team doesn’t repeat its shameful Athens antics. I repeat my sentiments of four years back: “I only hope that our sprinters handle themselves with dignity during the high point of the competition: the American-dominated, testosterone-fueled, always magnificent, 100-meter men’s dash (forget it ladies: You are not in this league).”
So far, American athletes lead with 8 medals; China is second with 4: “America is in [China] to do what it does best – compete, not kill.”
Update I (August 11): So the French swimming team promised to “smash” the Americans in the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle. Who’s talking now, “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys”?
Jason Lezak swam like a demon, winning by a fraction of a second. The American team was terribly gracious—to the French. Nice young men. (Ours, not theirs) (Check out this atrocious writing, jam-packed with breathy superlatives. CNBC’s writer doesn’t even cite the French’s time.)
Swimming for Zimbabwe (WHY?), Kirsty Coventry is an interesting—and great—swimmer to watch. She has already set a record in the women’s 100m backstroke. The Zimbabwe government, and most all people in that country, put aside their animosity toward whites, dubbing her their “Golden Girl.” Zimbabweans realize that she is their only Olympic hope. With such talent, she lives and trains in the US, although her family struggles on in Zimbabwe.
For similar reasons, Jean Basson of South Africa is someone to watch—and someone I will root for silently. He swam splendidly in the 200m freestyle heats. (Except that you never know whether he’s using all he has and Phelps is just cruising.) Maybe an Olympic victory will win him a reprieve with his ANC overlords back home.
What a treat it all is
Update II: On American political posturing vis-à-vis China: I am so tired of it–of American meddling. I am sure most Chinese are too. Let them deal with their problems; stay out. Western media get it wrong on most issue. Iraqis had problems; but did they need America in their backyard? Far from it. Back off already. We have problems in the US! Severe infractions of liberty occur here daily, including death by police, and evictions and property seizures for nefarious reasons (with reference to the reader’s hereunder comment). Fight battles on American soil.
Our reader mentions the “surrounding [Chinese] authority,” which everywhere oppresses him. I see a magnificent event conducted with great decorum and pride and despite a lot of pious puling from Americans. To see “authority” in action in American cities, wait for the Demopublican conventions to roll into town. Puleez. What is it about Americans who insist that other people have nothing to be proud of, and only America has it right? You know what? The Chinese don’t pay the kind of taxes we in the US are subjected to. I’d like the Chinese government to intervene on my behalf in this matter.
In “Classical Liberalisms and State Schemes” I made the case that with our pathological need to rescue others we disable them. It’s worth a read.
Update III: Too many Americans, our reader hereunder included, seem incapable of seeing things from the perspective of the Chinese, most of whom are exceedingly proud of their country right now. The “boycott China” sentiment appears sanctimonious, voiced, it would seem, to show how fair the person expressing it is. Why doesn’t the “boycott China” claque “crumble” equally over homegrown injustice? Why not refuse to enjoy our sportsmen and women because of our government’s evils? Why not cry croc over the crimes this government, with the acquiescence of most of its people, committed in Iraq. The Chinese have not come close to that feat, not of late.
Update IV (August 12): Phelps swam a riveting 400m IM race yesterday. What power, what grace. He smashed the world record and led by a good second or two, winning another gold medal
Another cool cucumber is Aaron Peirsol who scooped the gold for an event that has been his for some years: 100-meter backstroke. Matt Grevers won silver. Both struck me as delightful (and gorgeous) young men. I have no doubt that watching a lot of news as I do on TV exposes me to the worst of humanity—the anchors and the Demopublican strategist duos. Among the Olympians one sees the best of humanity. To push the body and the mind to the limits takes a special human being.
The Chinese men’s gymnastics team took gold and was indeed superhuman. I’m a little sad that difficulty has replaced the artistic element that used to be part of the floor routine, but the Chinese and Japanese gymnasts were simply superb. Our gymnasts were good sports—they were not the best, but displayed such exuberance and energy. That netted a bronze.
I must say, I have no idea what the grumbling is about on this blog with respect to the “commercialization” of the events. Myself, I am more concerned with the introduction of dubious sports into the event in recent years—half-nude beach volleyball, for example. I fully appreciate that one can become skilled in this “game,” as Kerri Walsh has, but so what? Just so long as they don’t cancel the traditional Olympian draws: track-and-field, swimming, gymnastics.
To those of you who’re daintily about the gaudy, vulgar, capitalistic aspects of the Olympics—fine. Make a Naomi-Klein statement. But then concede that none of the taint sticks to the Olympians themselves, who embody physical purity. What an individualist one must be to achieve what these men and women drive themselves to achieve. There is no getting away from that.
Decades ago, I used to sprint competitively. Long jump was also a passion. A confluence of circumstances combined to cut my track-and-field endeavors short. I still run, if only to feel something of that feeling that comes with propelling the (aging) physical frame forward.
Update V (August 14): “Splash & Dash; that’s the men’s 50m freestyle. The South African champion Roland Schoeman, who trains in the US (but whose family no doubt is not permitted to emigrate here, because white), is a wonderful swimmer. He has qualified for the finals.
As a kid, I had watched Mark Spitz in 1972; Phelps is the most exciting athlete since.
“The Chinese are ditching Mao for Milton, as Americans trust Oprah to pick their literature and leaders.” China
Good for the Chinese. I hope they are reading von Mises and Rothbard too. Then they will know how to avoid business cycles.
I’m glad for the competition from the Chinese. If it weren’t for the competition from the Japanese, Americans cars would still be crappy.
What “shameful Athens antics” did the U.S. basketball team engage in during the 2004 olympics?
I agree that watching these incredibly talented, determined athletes is a treat. I am in constant awe of the gymnasts in particular. The worst among them is a better athlete than 99.9% of the human race will ever dream of being.
I also confess that my enjoyment is diminished by knowing how the Chinese prepared for these games. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve never been a fan of Olympic boycotts, whose sole result is to punish athletes and no one else. But prior to the games I believe it was NBC News that ran a story of the Chinese government leveling apartment buildings to make way for Olympic construction. Families were left homeless for the sake of the games. The report ended with a camera shot of an old woman and her family weeping aside a couple of suitcases filled with whatever possessions they were able to take before they were evicted. Now, it’s entirely possible the story was overdone, sensationalized, whatever, in order to get knee-jerk emotional responses, but I doubt it. I think the crux of the story is accurate.
I realize there are lots of reasons given by lots of people to not view the games, with government ransacking of homes probably the least among them. Again, let the athletes compete. I guess all I’m saying is the joy of the competition stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding authority.
I do not recommend doing anything, from “fighting battles” to anything else. In fact, I can’t even resist watching the games. They’re too much fun.
It’s conceivable that the people left homeless were forced from apartments for which they did not pay, which would make it less of an affront.
Fine. The government uses eminent domain here to force people from their homes. It does not follow I need to ignore it when other governments do the same. It’s disgusting in either place.
Sheesh. I never said I was oppressed by the actions of the Chinese government. The newly homeless were oppressed; I was not. I find it disheartening that elderly people were forced into the street, but I lost no sleep over it. Ilana, you’re the last person who should resort to a straw-man argument (burning straw men is fun, but not on the level of olympic competition).
In theory, I would prefer that games not occur than to have one person forced from his home (assuming he owned it in the first place) to make way for them. But since that ain’t gonna happen, I guess I’ll watch the games and hold my nose when the audio commentary becomes too much.
Pride? Meh. They put on a good show for which they had ample time to prepare. It’s the least they can do.
As we continue to carp about foreign countries not extending the benefits of “democracy” to their citizens, the Chinese are working very hard to build up their industries, their businesses, and therefore their nation. Might it be too unreasonable to suggest we might take a (slight) lesson from them, and go back to focusing on prosperity rather than making the world “safe” for democracy? Because if our country ends up bankrupt, our supposed “moral authority” vis a vis other nations won’t matter at all. We’ll continue our decline and end up a dirt-poor debtor nation, with lots of ideals and no material foundation whatsoever for those ideals to stand on.
Wow, there are some people who think that we are morally superior to others? I got a chuckle from that.
America is horribly inept economically. We can’t be morally better than the Chinese if we enslave our citizens to the State in all matters of economy.
Although you aren’t making this argument Mrs. Grant, I find it annoying when others do.
Ahh well. America is doomed. As usual.I haven’t heard a good piece of news about our nation in a long time – the Games heaps more statist rubbish my way every time I see commentary.
China may not be as free as many would like… but on the other hand the FLDS wouldn’t be treated any worse in China then they have been here. It’s been a beautiful spectacle and the Chinese have worked their collective asses off to make something of this. They have a reason to be proud.
It’s true. Many of our local and state governments have stolen the income of their citizens to finance private sports stadiums. Such taxation can effectively leave the elderly homeless. If it hasn’t happened already, it will happen that people are forced from their homes to make way for a sports stadium right here in the USA. Such was the reasoning of the recent Supreme Court Kelo decision.
Is there any point at which one would refuse to watch the games? As a deliberately extreme hypothetical, if a country were putting on a good show, but in a warehouse next to the Olympic stadium was butchering infants for sandwich patties, would that warrant a viewership boycott? Or would it be OK so long as the host population took sufficient pride in the games, put on a good fireworks show, and used free market forces in the marketing of the baby burgers?
China produces far more than it consumes. And yes, they should be proud. I have never recommended boycotting the olympics, but I confess that I have trouble exercising the image of the newly homeless family from my mind. [Please provide proof of the story; it’s only fair. I try to avoid hearsay here.–IM] It’s happened to me before. When I was young and stupid and still under the sway of charlatans, I thought “free” health care was a good idea. I then saw first hand some examples of supposedly free care. The images stayed with me, and I changed my opinion. I venture that some might change their opinions if they themselves were newly homeless to accommodate the games instead of an old Chinese lady.
I say again that no athletic event is worth the confiscation of one home, here or there. If that’s controversial, or sanctimonious, so be it. I fail to see the controversy in it.
The Olympics have become commercial, bogus and phoney. The money possibilities for advertisers is too much. The Olympics are not what they were and haven’t been so for a long time.
Fair enough.
Link with title of story. However, text of story no longer available. I will keep looking. It was a valid story.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/25256447/
Not the specific story in question, but here’s another article detailing the same abuses:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2008/07/16/as_olympics_near_many_chinese_homes_face_wrecking_ball/
Sorry Ilana, I’ll stop wracking up the posts with this one. I have searched Youtube and have been unable to find the particular news segment I saw. It was one of the three major American networks, and as I said before, the story may have been over-dramatized, but it was heartbreaking, at least to me.
The crux of these other stories aligns with happens with eminent domain abuse in the USA: strong arm tactics by the government, unfair compensation for the lost homes.
If I do happen upon the specific video I will post it. Over and out.
I too am enjoying Coventry swim. When they interviewed her I was expecting to hear a cool sing-songy Rhodie accent. Instead she sounds like a Indiana farm girl. Disappointing. I’ll root for her though, maybe she can bring a little hope to the distressed Zim masses (not that the Zanu-PF supporters deserve it, screw them).
When people complain about something being too ‘commercialized’, I begin to have horrible flashbacks to the previous semeester of socialist claptrap.
I should remind people that virtually anything artistic was done was done in a capitalist economy (i.e., from now on just the ‘real’ economy since socialist economies are oxymorons).
Perhaps those that run the games should be more carerful about what advertising is being run, but a problem with a capitalist is not a problem with capitalism.
“The eager young faces, the lithe, lean bodies…” And what’s wrong with beach volleyball, again?
I don’t see anything wrong with sports games, except for the importance people tie to them. People act as if winning or losing an event somehow reflects on the country the athlete is from, reflects on themselves somehow. What are we going to do if we don’t win, overthrow the government or something? And what’s up with the athletes that live in the U.S. but compete in the name of other countries?
When somebody competes, it’s the individual or team that wins, not a country, not a set of ideals. Not to spoil everyone’s fun, but whatever we would say if bad countries won all the medals applies to us, too.
It’s recreation for the people that watch. That’s why beach volleyball should be included. Shouldn’t perverts get some fun out of this too?