Olympic Opening Ceremony

[Scouse]

Figured I'd watch this whilst I was waiting for the bomb to go off. It's some pretty cool shit!

Gotta hand it to them. When it comes to impressing they're doing a good job. It's going to make the London games look like the Calcutta games when they eventually come round...

 

[DaGaffer]

Despite being totally cynical about this kind of thing, I do have admit this is impressive. Still think the Olympics is a pile of boring arse though.

 

[Scouse]

Yep. It's a middle class sporting event that's politically co-opted and generally meaningless.

But this opening ceremony rocks

 

[Faeldawn]

Knowing what has preceeded the event and what is still going on behind the tinted glass I simply cannot bring myself to watch any of it.

 

[Moriath]

Already boring the crap out of me... soonest over the better

 

[Scouse]

Well, the procession is always dull. But if you're not impressed by the rest I'm surprised...

 

[Munkey]

Knowing what has preceeded the event and what is still going on behind the tinted glass I simply cannot bring myself to watch any of it.

Totally with you there. I'm just glad we managed to ruin China's 'coming-out' party, if even a little.

 

[Kryten]

At least the fireworks looked more spectacular due to the smog

 

[Furr]

Great ceremony, but now the Olympics are going to be overshadowed by Russia invading Georgia. Chinese are going to be mega pissed.

 

[Ch3tan]

Fuck the opening ceremony, the only part of the Olympics that had me interested started yesterday -the football tourney

 

[throdgrain]

We shoot win some shooting trophys if nothing else

 

[Moriath]

I just dont see whats so spectacular about the lights and ppl moving in sync .. its just a case of drill drill drill which the Chinese can do cause the governement owns everyone so you get told your gonna practice for this you go do it or you end up in chains

So nothing spectacular about the opening ceremony except a great display of brain washing ..

Did you even see the newsnight article the night before they were being taught how to cheer ... i mean like clapping inflatables together and cheering in sync .. just sickening

 

[Ono]

I thought it was great. Missed a lot of it and only saw the highlights so I'm grabbing the full ceremony now.

Does it matter if parage people are being told how to clap and cheer? It's called choreography and quite common amongst any show featuring lots of performers.

Must say that I hate the design of the Birds Nest due to its messy steel frame and dour colour but when it was lit up last night - wow. Looked fantastic.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

You don't see what's spectacular about it? First of all, in order to do something like that it not only takes a lot of hard work (2 years practicing nearly every day), but think about the vision it takes to create something like that from scratch. You couldn't do it, I couldn't do it. Very few people could, which is why they got Zhang Yimou (director of such films as Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower) to do it. I've frankly never seen anything like some of those fireworks and light co-ordination. A lot of cynicism and casual racism has been thrown about simply because it's in China - if we'd seen something like that in Europe people would have spunked their pants. Anyone remember the opening and closing ceremonies for Euro 2008? They were a kids nativity play in comparison.

 

[JingleBells]

I only caught the beginning bit with the drummers, that visually stunning, especially when they all started playing to make it flicker with light. The orange glow drumsticks were also amazing to watch.

 

[tris-]

You don't see what's spectacular about it?

its because he hasnt got a fucking clue

 

[Ono]

I just managed to watch all the entire ceremony (slipped the teams marching in bit).

Favourite parts were Li Ning lighting the torch, the drummers at the beginning but also loved the smiley fireworks when the kids sang with their umbrellas.


Oh, and the footstep fireworks at the beginning were also superb!

 

[Kryten]

An argument I'm staying out of.
Without a shadow of a doubt it's spectacular. Exactly how they were co-erced into doing it is however in doubt. Are many of them doing it out of love for their country, or fear? and fear of what?
I hope it's the former, I really do, but can't imagine for one second that their regime has changed that dramatically.

But, let's think of the sport rather than the politics around it.

 

[Embattle]

It was impressive from the parts I saw, certainly going to be interesting to top it in 2012 either way.....sorry I remember it is here so we'll probably run out of power before then.

The notion you can some how ignore a countries politics just because it holds a sporting event isn't possible although my own personal view about China getting the largest sporting event has both positives and negatives, all of course the usual one people band around so no need to bother saying much about it now.

The pollution issue being fobbed off is a different story when you consider the nature of most the sport, pure human exertion requires clean air and certainly not smog. When you consider the extreme measure China introduced it does make you wonder how aweful the daily pollution must be when the IOC isn't around to monitor it, although even they seemed to shrug there shoulders at times.

 

[Munkey]

An argument I'm staying out of.
Without a shadow of a doubt it's spectacular. Exactly how they were co-erced into doing it is however in doubt. Are many of them doing it out of love for their country, or fear? and fear of what?
I hope it's the former, I really do, but can't imagine for one second that their regime has changed that dramatically.

But, let's think of the sport rather than the politics around it.

Oh, undoubtably for the love of the country. Its been drilled into them since the time of Confucius. It's also part of why most of the people don't understand what our problem is, classic clash of East vs West.

Just a shame Communism corrupted something that could have so easily been along the lines of Japan.

 

[Sar]

An argument I'm staying out of.
Without a shadow of a doubt it's spectacular. Exactly how they were co-erced into doing it is however in doubt. Are many of them doing it out of love for their country, or fear? and fear of what?
I hope it's the former, I really do, but can't imagine for one second that their regime has changed that dramatically.

But, let's think of the sport rather than the politics around it.

I'd dare say they'd be shot if they refused.

Much like the people whose homes they demolished to build the stadiums and new roads for the Olympics, who then had the audacity to protest.

Now they arrest them when they lodge complaints and they're not seen or heard of again.

Yeah I'd say China's changed. For the worse unfortunately.

 

[taB]

I'd dare say they'd be shot if they refused.

Much like the people whose homes they demolished to build the stadiums and new roads for the Olympics, who then had the audacity to protest.

Now they arrest them when they lodge complaints and they're not seen or heard of again.

Yeah I'd say China's changed. For the worse unfortunately.

I have a lodger who's chinese. She is so proud of her country and the fact that they are hosting the olympics. China has an awful human rights record and produces shit loads of pollution. Industrial revolution and British Empire ring any bells? They're just behind us on schedule and have rather a lot more people.

China hasn't changed for the worse, there is still a lot of control and little freedom, but it is better. They just have a long way to go to be dragged kicking and screaming into the centruy of the fruit bat.

Yes they have unrest and domestic terrorist attacks. IRA, Basque separists both have operated among populations that are rather smaller than 1.3 billion.

Things could be much better and I am optimistic they will be in time. I feel that while us Brits judge the far east, we are rather blind to our own massive fuck-ups.

 

[DaGaffer]

I have a lodger who's chinese. She is so proud of her country and the fact that they are hosting the olympics. China has an awful human rights record and produces shit loads of pollution. Industrial revolution and British Empire ring any bells? They're just behind us on schedule and have rather a lot more people.

Sorry, that argument won't fly. The Industrial revolution was just that, a revolution. We didn't know any better when it comes to pollution (and I'm talking more about toxic waste than C02 here), the Chinese do; they just choose the expedient approach because its faster and cheaper. As for the British Empire, once again you can't compare 19th century value systems to 21st century ones and let them off the hook because "they're a bit behind".

China hasn't changed for the worse, there is still a lot of control and little freedom, but it is better. They just have a long way to go to be dragged kicking and screaming into the centruy of the fruit bat.

In a way I don't blame the Chinese, and you're right, in some ways it is a bit better, but in other ways its a lot worse; their execution rate for instance, is one of the highest in the world, and prisoners are harvested for their organs; this is a new twist that even the nastiest totalitarian states haven't cottoned on to before; and we turn a blind eye because its politically and economically expedient to do so.

Yes they have unrest and domestic terrorist attacks. IRA, Basque separists both have operated among populations that are rather smaller than 1.3 billion.

Things could be much better and I am optimistic they will be in time. I feel that while us Brits judge the far east, we are rather blind to our own massive fuck-ups.

What's your point? We've made mistakes so they're allowed to? The British, as a rule are not "blind to our own massive fuck-ups", quite the reverese, we're always self-flagellating about perfidious Albion.

The problem with China is that they're a special case; if the largest country in the world becomes the largest economy (likely) and largest military power (possibly) when they're still a repressive one-party state with nasty social policies, then they'll set the tone for the next 100-200 years, not just for China, but for all of us.

 

[taB]

quite the reverese, we're always self-flagellating about perfidious Albion.

We might self-flagellate but it hasn't stopped us from continuing to do it. Or at least governments doing it on our behalf.

I do take your points and they are very valid. It is a very commonly discussed subject these days and I find that people are immediately dismissive of any positives that have occured there since the days of the Chairman.

 

[Chilly]

An argument I'm staying out of.
Without a shadow of a doubt it's spectacular. Exactly how they were co-erced into doing it is however in doubt. Are many of them doing it out of love for their country, or fear? and fear of what?
I hope it's the former, I really do, but can't imagine for one second that their regime has changed that dramatically.

But, let's think of the sport rather than the politics around it.

Maybe they got fucking PAID? Christ, Mexicans do worse every day in countless US companies of their own volition for what they deem to be fair pay (or they'd fuck off somewhere else).

 

[Wazzerphuk]

A lot of people don't seem to realise that they are following the model adopted by Seoul in the 1988 games. At that time South Korea was pretty much still under military dictatorship, although beginning to see the end of it. Seoul also had a very similar opening ceremony in its complexity and sheer scale, and this was created by determination and love for their country. If you think they are being whipped and held hostage in order to prance around in front of the world (something a LOT of performers even in the West would do for free) then you are very wrong indeed.

There was a lot of debate at the time as to whether or not they should have held the Olympics in country that at the time had some highly questionable human rights policies, as well as political instability and violence. Sound familiar?

The 1988 Olympics was one of a many factors that sped up the 'westernization' of South Korea. In just 20 years they are now the second most 'western' country in Asia, and are one of the world's economic powerhouses.

My point? Don't judge a country from a couple of ill-informed comments of people that probably don't know any better. Events such as the Olympics may not have much influence in their host country's development in the West, but in the East it can be used as a tool to boost the economy and bring themselves into closer alignment with the rest of the globalised world (which people in here seem to be inferring by their comments is far better than China actually maintaining any sense of identity for themselves).

I am by no means defending some of the more unsavoury elements of China, I am trying to point out that the situation isn't nearly as straightforward as people think. You'd be amazed at how quickly change can occur, South Korea is a prime example of a nation of people that have a strong sense of nationality and love for their country. This passion is often seen in Chinese people as well.

The Olympic games are a big event, but it seems unfortunately these Olympic games seem to be an excuse for poorly educated judgemental people to spout casual and seemingly socially acceptable forms of racism (judging by the sheer amount of utter idiots I've heard talking pure shite).

 

[Munkey]

A comparison with South Korea is a bad example.

China has moved out of the 'third-world' and into the 'first-world', the whole purpose for China wanting the Olympics was to prove this. Hence the extravagent promises and effort made to create what could, in all possibility be, the best Olympic Games ever.

The thing about China though is that it is not designed for the rapid change experienced by countries such as South Korea. It is designed for slow, steady steps, all the better to keep the national cohesion that underpins Communist and Chinese thinking.

Rapid change is not going to occur. The leadership of China will not realise its mistakes, life will go on as it is, with only slow and steady change occuring.

The best we can hope is that China will take the constructive criticism and incorporate it within its move towards its interaction with the West. It has already become more westernised through its interactions within the U.N., its trade and participation within the W.T.O. and the World Bank, lets just hope that China can continue moving in this direction.

Does this require deletion of China's identity? No, the Western world has never demanded that from anyone. The Western world also takes as it gives.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

The thing about China though is that it is not designed for the rapid change experienced by countries such as South Korea. It is designed for slow, steady steps, all the better to keep the national cohesion that underpins Communist and Chinese thinking.

Nor was/is South Korea: they have, in their rapid growth, caused a lot of problems due to the huge urbanisation process that has occurred. If you're not in one of the few major cities you have utterly no prospects until you move. Farming and 'traditional' jobs have been hit hard. Korea, like China, has a long standing history of Confucian thinking, thanks to... er, China, surprisingly. Also, the label 'communist', while true, is a little outdated. What is going on in China isn't really full communism in the traditional sense of the word. It's slightly more middle than a lot of people realise. Granted, it's not a Western Democracy but it's not an evil iron fist all the time.

Rapid change is not going to occur. The leadership of China will not realise its mistakes, life will go on as it is, with only slow and steady change occuring.

The same things could have been said about Korea at the time. No-one could have predicted the sheer boom it has undergone. Since the end of World War II the country had been split, undergone another war with North Korea and then had decades of military dictatorships and brutal violence to the people.

The best we can hope is that China will take the constructive criticism and incorporate it within its move towards its interaction with the West.

This may be the most realistic thing to predict, but I wouldn't say it was the best we can hope for.

Does this require deletion of China's identity? No, the Western world has never demanded that from anyone. The Western world also takes as it gives.

You may have misunderstood me here. I'm not saying they should, or would, just that a lot of ignorant people (some in this thread if you read closely enough) seem to want them to 'fall in line' with our Western way of thinking and acting. I certainly don't. Again the Korean model has worked well, they created specific policies in the mid 90s to create themselves as a globalised nation through their own national pride. I would like to see this from China - as a nation they have a lot to be proud of, much like the Koreans do. It is a shame that some people think that being proud of a nation like China must mean that they must have been forced to do so. It's pretty offensive tbh.

I should stop

 

[Embattle]

A rather large difference which you can't ignore is the sheer population difference.

I've personally have been impressed with how they've done it but then again the Olympic's could be seen as the worlds largest advertising board, this is also one of the reasons being blamed for all those empty seats.

 

[Raven]

casual racism has been thrown about simply because it's in China

Epic yawn

Where is the so called racism?