Asian values & the Olympics

If anyone doubted that in Asian form matters far, far more than substance (all part of the obsession with "face"), you need look no further than the news stories now coming out about the Olympics opening ceremony. Apparently the girl who sang at the opening ceremony ... didn't. She was the beautiful one, but she lip-synched (just like a drag show). The one whose voice was used - well, she wasn't beautiful enough. And the fireworks. What the punters saw on television didn't happen. Well, it happened, but not then and not as it was presented. But don't you worry, it looked good, and that's all that matters. And are these news stories in China? They would be if they'd happened in Sydney or Athens but no, they're censored in China. Not helpful, apparently. So when leaders like Mad Mahathir and their thoughtless parrots like Dek Wat and Chao Na tell you about the Asian century that's coming, you know what to expect. Be very afraid

So when leaders like Mad Mahathir and their thoughtless parrots

Yet, as you say, there is much to be praised about Malaysia.

It must have been a show worthy of great praise from the man in the mao-soleum not far from the stadium.

I missed the opening as well as ANYTHING else of the ongoing olympics as they have been on my {IGNORE} list since the morning of July 4th when GWB announced he would attend the opening ceremonies. I don't think it's just asians who should fear.

I guess he got his picture taken! Thumbs up? on that bikini butt (see attached). Disgraceful? All that way for that, huh?

[Marsilius]

It has also long been claimed that the Olympics were sold out of seats. TV is now clearly showing that to be a lie and we see acknowledged Chinese rent-a-crowds filling those empty places. Presumably it would, again, have meant a huge loss of face to have admitted that people weren't lining up to visit China...

[Wesley]

Is GWB the only one in the world that should be on iggy, Gosh look at what Putin did after he left the Olympics to finish off the Georgians under cover of the Olympic shadow. But I guess he is okay in your book.

Wes

[thrillbill]

It has also long been claimed that the Olympics were sold out of seats. TV is now clearly showing that to be a lie and we see acknowledged Chinese rent-a-crowds filling those empty places. Presumably it would, again, have meant a huge loss of face to have admitted that people weren't lining up to visit China...

...and it was reported that these "paid fans" were cheering for teams playing against the USA. China makes "fake" products including watches down to medicine... they even do it in the Olympics.

BUT I AM GLAD THE OLYMPICS WAS HELD IN CHINA...ALL THE FOREIGNERS VISITING HAVE ADMITTED WHAT GREAT HOSTS THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN. ISN'T THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS OLYMPICS, TO REALIZE THAT THE CHINESE PEOPLE, NOT GOVERNMENT, ARE LIKE YOU AND ME?

ISN'T THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS OLYMPICS, TO REALIZE THAT THE CHINESE PEOPLE, NOT GOVERNMENT, ARE LIKE YOU AND ME?

Speak for yourself. I don't pick my nose in public or hawk loogies on the street.

[thrillbill]

ISN'T THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS OLYMPICS, TO REALIZE THAT THE CHINESE PEOPLE, NOT GOVERNMENT, ARE LIKE YOU AND ME?

Speak for yourself. I don't pick my nose in public or hawk loogies on the street.

___________________

lol...true, VERY TRUE :bom:

Stories about the fakes at the opening ceremony continue to arrive. Apparently all those kids from the various regions/races in their various "ethnic" costumes were all Han Chinese kids just dressing up

[cottmann]

Stories about the fakes at the opening ceremony continue to arrive. Apparently all those kids from the various regions/races in their various "ethnic" costumes were all Han Chinese kids just dressing up

All Olympics have some element of fakery about them, e.g., if you look at the video of the opening of the Barcelone Olympics, you can see where the arrow shot by one of Spain's most famous archers missed the bowl containing the Olympic flame, which lit anyway. At the Turin Winter Olympics, Luciano Pavarotti lip-synched too.

All Olympics have some element of fakery about them, e.g., if you look at the video of the opening of the Barcelone Olympics, you can see where the arrow shot by one of Spain's most famous archers missed the bowl containing the Olympic flame, which lit anyway. At the Turin Winter Olympics, Luciano Pavarotti lip-synched too.For someone who's usually so intelligent, it's sad to see you lapsing into the "exception that proves the rule" mode. Of course there are isolated instances everywhere; fakery is however systemic at the Beijing Olympics. It's rather like those apologists for Thailand who dismiss the rampant police corruption as "police are corrupt everywhere" without acknowledging that in the many places they cite as examples there are institutions in place to track down and prosecute corrupt officials, including the police, but generally that doesn't happen in Thailand. The cases against the Shinawatras this year are a very small step in the right direction