Thoughts on the Olympics?

[Hellspell]

Wow. I thought the Olympics would be completely irrelevant to my interests but seeing such a comparatively small country as Great Britain to win so many medals has astounded me, and the sportsmanship, heart and determination shown by our Olympians has made me proud to be British. Never have I felt proud to be British.

That is the main thing I take out of these games. Perhaps I am not inspired to go to the Sports Centre and try out handball or water polo or dressage or even any of the events on display to me for the first time thanks to these games. But the legacy left for everyone in Great Britain is the very alien feeling of pride.

This is the first Olympics I've paid attention too and I have enjoyed much of it and I think it has shown London, and Britain as a whole in a great light. Not only that I think the Olympics has shown humanity at it's best. I am interested in seeing how you all thought the Olympics showcased the good in Britain and humanity and as well as this what you enjoyed about the games and what you think has been successful about it.

Oh and praise be to Boris.

[Nightmare]

U.S.A!
My favorite athletes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0

Allison Stokke

Spoiler

Aly Raisman

Spoiler

Alex Morgan

Spoiler

Hope Solo

Spoiler

[#M|A#Wolf]

Well, my country had the most amount of medals they had ever won in a foreign country and I think that the inauguration was awesome with Mr. Bean :)
And of course the fact Mexico won in football was an amazing and historic event for everyone in the country.

[paulmuaddibKA]

/rant1

Spoiler

Don´t give two fucks, I like sportsmanship, but unfortunately this is not about that anymore.
Apart from that, Im sure it was a good thing to experience living in Britain, I would have loved to be in Madrid if they would have happened there.
For me, the humanity you talk about is shown behind the cameras, and I want you to think about this.
How many food has been wasted in this past month in London and surroundings.
How much more has the Thames been poisoned.
How many people have died in a car accident.
How many little kids, mothers, or weak have been hit with no one to protect them.
How many drugs have been consumed.
The total amount of people that slept under a bridge in the duration of the event.
The amount of working hours illegal workers have sustained without a proper (if any) wage.
And a large etc...
Now tell me, how much have the visitors done to improve/fight against those things happening in YOUR country... Which, for me, would be the true face of humanity?
NONE GAVE A FUCK.
I wouldnt either, but its an illness consuming humanity, and it makes me very sad.
If all the resources used to mobilize and prepare the Olympics had been used towards a humanitarian cause or an ecologic one, THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. And Im talking about London itself. Because you have to start somewhere, and there is people that suffer much, MUCH, in London, you dont have to go to India to find true suffering, and its impossible to make a difference elsewhere if you dont first clean your own house.
Im sorry to hijack your thread brah, but it really gets on my nerves...

[Mael]

blah blah blah

Jesus christ let people take enjoyment in something.

[Jg99]

Go USA Go USA!!
USA pwned at swimming & basketball :D

[jAcKRoCk*]

México 2 - Brazil 1 Enough said.

[Mr.OpTic]

Don´t give two fucks, I like sportsmanship, but unfortunately this is not about that anymore.
Apart from that, Im sure it was a good thing to experience living in Britain, I would have loved to be in Madrid if they would have happened there.
For me, the humanity you talk about is shown behind the cameras, and I want you to think about this.
How many food has been wasted in this past month in London and surroundings.
How much more has the Thames been poisoned.
How many people have died in a car accident.
How many little kids, mothers, or weak have been hit with no one to protect them.
How many drugs have been consumed.
The total amount of people that slept under a bridge in the duration of the event.
The amount of working hours illegal workers have sustained without a proper (if any) wage.
And a large etc...
Now tell me, how much have the visitors done to improve/fight against those things happening in YOUR country... Which, for me, would be the true face of humanity?
NONE GAVE A FUCK.
I wouldnt either, but its an illness consuming humanity, and it makes me very sad.
If all the resources used to mobilize and prepare the Olympics had been used towards a humanitarian cause or an ecologic one, THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. And Im talking about London itself. Because you have to start somewhere, and there is people that suffer much, MUCH, in London, you dont have to go to India to find true suffering, and its impossible to make a difference elsewhere if you dont first clean your own house.
Im sorry to hijack your thread brah, but it really gets on my nerves...

The amount of complete and utter bollocks I'm this post is not even worth explaining.

I thought the Olympics was a success overall, I just hope the legacy they talk about prevails.

[Sepehr]

I really enjoyed it and I tried to have the most fun out of it!
Iran had their best performance ever since they competed at Olympics. With only 53 participating athletes, they could win 12 medals, including 4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals, reaching rank #17 which is our best rank so far! Let's hope for a better performance in Rio de Janeiro.

Cheers!

[MykeGregory]

I pretty much share your thoughts Hellspell, but i have always had an interest in watching athletes do thier thing.
i also think certain sports should be added but i dont think they ever will...

Spoiler

[paulmuaddibKA]

Jesus christ let people take enjoyment in something.

Hahahaha. If you read my post, there is lots of enjoyment to come from it, like a new way of living, true to humanity, which Hellspell mentioned...

The amount of complete and utter bollocks I'm this post is not even worth explaining.

Well, Id like you to explain to me how the olympics showcased humanity, outside the sports part, which I can see people enjoying and is a very important part in human evolution...
Im talking about EVERYTHING surrounding the event, please elaborate...
EDIT: In before Optic is from London and there is not suffering over there and everyone lives happy and is nice to everyone...

[Nightmare]

Good sportsmanship = caring & humanity
;o

Canada's soccer woman kicked the ball out of bounds because a U.S woman was down with a knee injury. This was in extra time, and they had numbers with a great chance for an open shot if they pushed. Then Alex Morgan(seen in my first post on this thread) was all goal goal u.s.a u.s.a.
Proof that everyone should be evil and make lemonade out of lemons. Instead of handing the lemons to someone else.

[kleinkariert]

i enjoyed the games, but i can't believe what happened to the german swimming team. not a single medal indoors.
anyways, was great fun and an awesome athmosphere in the stadium!!!1

[Oracle]

blah blah blah

Jesus christ let people take enjoyment in something.

This >.>

Allison Stokke

* Oracle had to google to remember who she was...
Oh god...pole vaulter?
Too many jokes...

[al3rt]

blah blah blah

If you think the olympics is useless and if you think that people in Africa should get the money that was used for the olympics then sorry but I don't think thats normal. The olympics are once every 4 years and they mean a lot to the world of sport people. If you think the olympics are a waste of time then you're saying the whole point of playing and participating in ANY kind of sport is a waste of time and money. So lets break down all stadiums and sports halls and with that material lets make brushes and pans and lets sweap the streets. I think sports are more interesting. If you want to waste your money on people in Africa, I'm not racist now, why don't you go there and tell them to go out hunting and atleast trying to do something to survive instead of just waiting for an American helicopter to arrive and bring food. We European people or American's worked to make the food which we just give to people kneeling and having hands risen up high. In my opinion THAT'S a waste of money and time.

[kleinkariert]

[blah]I'm not racist now[more blah]

nah, just incredibly ignorant. :)

[Mr.OpTic]

please elaborate...

no.

EDIT: In before Optic is from London

no.

[paulmuaddibKA]

Post

1. Hello friend, I didnt mention Africa once in my post.

2. There is so many people in Africa richer than you, and your whole neighborhood. You think those starve?
In the other hand, there is people in your country that SUFFER as much as a Kenyan woman. Im not talking numbers, Im talking about individuals. Maybe their suffering would mean nothing to you, but Im not comparing, Im stating.

3. In my post, I talked about human condition. Re-read and, if you have something constructive to say, Ill be welcome to accept your insights, and maybe we can learn new things from each other and share our views with the rest of the forum users.

4. I agree that giving resources such as food to underdeveloped countries is not the way of helping, but, as Im nowhere close to being an example to no one, Im just trying to point out things that people take for granted, like that a sport event hasn´t got negative connotations. Who knows all the bad things that have happened because of the olympics...
Think about it,
"If something can go wrong, it will go wrong".
With the amount of people involved? Im sure youd be scared, if you ever knew...

[Vanquish]

Sorry Paul but London isn't at all like you're making it out to be, I say this from living there for three years and from living about half an hour's drive away currently. So many cities have crime and homelessness, many areas of London are in fact rather pleasant. And in a big city that has about 8 million people, it's to be expected that there will be some rough areas. Although from time spent living in, visiting and passing through London, I haven't experienced much, if any of what you described tbh.

[paulmuaddibKA]

XD, I have lived in London for around 1 year m8! Change London for Madrid, Brussels, Ontario, Nagasaki, Cape Point, la Habana, Brisbane...
Food Waste
Polution
Accidents
Batter
Drugs
Homeless
Illegal workers...
I´ve seen all that in London, and worse! And in Madrid, in Casablanca, in Antwerp...

[#M|A#Wolf]

The Olympics in London were there to entertain and help sportsmen and women compete with each other. If you're interested with helping the poor (which has absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics) then go ahead and make a charity campaign instead of throwing shit at the Olympics.

The IOC decided the host depending if they have enough money and budget to organize such event, if London really were as shit as you described it then they wouldn't have been chosen.

And besides, there are millions of places on Earth where people live in harsh conditions and where people don't know if they'll eat the next day, but that doesn't mean we will just stop doing whatever we're doing and just give them money instead, it doesn't work that way.

[paulmuaddibKA]

/rant2

Spoiler

Hey wolf, I never, not even once, talked about the poor or giving money to anyone. Im talking about something different, maybe you guys cant see it cause you dont ride my boat, but im not talking about poor people or underdeveloped countries. Im talking about human condition. A cocaine addict that wins 140000 pounds a year is a human being, and his condition makes him, and the ones around him suffer. Suffer greatly. Im not comparing how a starving child in Somalia suffers worse than him, Im talking about how they both suffer...
Food Waste
Polution
Accidents
Batter
Drugs
Are those things that only happen to poor people?
I think you guys are blindfolded by our current society and state of things, but Im not blaming you, nor Im differentiating myself from you, like saying im better cause Im aware, Im just wanting you guys to open your eyes and see how much misery there is in this world, not only in far away places, but very close to your home too.
And we are to blame, everyone of us. Our parents, our teachers, our politicians, our friends... the only thing I find possible not to blame are our mascots, XD.
Please take this as it is, Im not trying to get you depressed, but to think a little on how our everyday actions affect our live and the live of people that surround us.
But thats not sad in itself, but that EVERYONE thinks its normal is what is sad.
Its not normal that your neighbor hits his wife, or that you friend at school has to work every weekend helping his father in the kitchen of their restaurant.
Its not normal that someone buys a BMW. And its not normal that a 12 year old kid has an Iphone. Take this for what it is, im stating facts, not inventing them. the thing that you guys dont see my point (or dont want to see it) is what should scare you, cause that would mean you are one step closer to be one of them (the addict, the homeless, the driver of teh car that has an accident...).
OPEN YOUR MIND peoples of AC forum, together we can make this world better, think about it! XD

[jAcKRoCk*]

Eliminating the Olympics, the "waste" that comes with them it's really not going to help in any way. You think that NBC or CNN or Coca Cola think like this:

"There's nothing we can use our money, let's give it all to the poor and obtain no profit from it"

Dude grow up, the world doesn't work like that, and rather you like it or not, there's always going to be some sort of inequality in the world.

So please if you think giving money to homeless people it's going to solve anything I encourage you to sell your possessions and give them all, let's see if it changes something.


EDIT:

Of course there's pollution, drugs, accidents and food waste, but it's been like this since the dawn of humanity, but what can you do?, you can't say a person is in misery because of an accident, shit happens, the people that use drugs use them because it's the choice they made, No one force them, if they are miserable for that, it's still what they chose to be.

[paulmuaddibKA]

/rant 3

Spoiler

Why when someone talks about helping others, the first thing that comes to mind is the words poor and money?
You read my posts but not understand them.
Its the way the society wants you to be, and I understand its difficult to grasp. But...
Money? I never mentioned money!
I never mentioned helping poor people!
Im talking about much deeper concepts.
Im sorry if I dont make myself clear, but cmon, try to put sense into my words.

but it's been like this since the dawn of humanity

Thats the problem right there, the ACCEPTANCE.
Its not normal to accept such facts. We have been shaped this way, we must break free.

I encourage you to sell your possessions and give them all, let's see if it changes something.

This is a very clever argument, and I actually enjoy it. The problem is actual society would punish you for doing such a thing. We have been modeled after principles so twisted from the true nature of the human being, that this would be contradictory. One might make no difference, many would. But many are not in the position to throw their standards away. We would still want to wipe our asses with toilet paper, we would still want to access the internet, we would still want to cook our food. We would be only overshadowing the big problem with little ones. And the desire to consume has been built so deep into ourselves that very few people would continue that way and most would be broken apart in the first few days.
The solution lies within or power to COMMUNICATE, but nowadays we are told what to wear, what is fun, what is not...
Have you ever considered whats the difference between your house and the neighbors? Think about it... and maybe then you understand my point...

[jAcKRoCk*]

It's easy to say, when you dont have to work to bring food or anything to your house, it's fair easy for you to say we need to lose free, the thing is you can't, even tough you don't like it, people work very very hard to obtain such things, like wiping our asses or cooking out meals, people deserve to feel happy or even "free" for a while, to forget all the day by day struggle and I believe the Olympics have that effect on people.

Yes society it's a bitch and will turn you into A monster if you want to believe Montesquieu, but again most people chose the life they live, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

[Alien]

the Olympics was perfect, i love that spirit, good time for watching in TV and London as nice traditional place :P GG

[paulmuaddibKA]

/rant 4

Spoiler

Not entirely true my friend...
Let me be more specific.
People dont choose to life they lives. They are told to do so, and go along with it. Thats what this is all about. And they are content, cause they have been taught and twisted into materialism. And they think as you do, that they need to work hard for obtaining such things, when the truth is far beyond that.
They believe that if they work harder, they will be "entitled" to buy a better car!
And they believe, that having such a car, increases their status!
But its not that whats happening, the truth is that the status is sinking into a hole so deep, that soon there will be no scape.
This is the harsh truth.
Its my understanding that every human being on earth could have access to those "luxuries" we are talking about without the need of having to pay for it. Not even a penny.
Because this things come from human evolution.
Evolution is a way to slide down this waterfall that existence is.
Evolution is understanding, evolution is caring.
Every step walked by every caring (and non caring too!) human being, should have helped every other one to increase that status. But now those things have been given a value, a monetary one, instead of a humanitarian one.
So, from the start, the focus has been changed into something deeply malign, the prevalence of the powerful.
And we all are sustaining it driving our cars along a road built to control the population and benefit very few, and, do you know what is there at the end of this road my friend? The hole I was talking about before, and it is you, and me, and many others who are gonna fill it, so this few chosen ones will be able to pass to the other side, and build their gigantic self boasting cities, and hide from what the true human essence is, sharing and caring.

[Waffles]

What is the motivation of production without some gain? Already there are problems with sustaining the population we have now. What happens when farmers give their crops away for decency. It's a beautiful thought but it won't happen. The main problem with what you're saying (rather poorly I might add) is that you've taken a moral high ground and are accusing others of not agreeing with you and thus suggesting that they are inferior. Be the change you want to see in the world. Insert wonka meme "oh you see problems in the world? Tell me about how you are progressing humanity. I doubt anyone would disagree the world could be in a better place, but right now you are just bitching instead of providing any logical way it could be solved given the current climate. If you could solve that problem, then you have no place discussing it in a gaming forum on a thread talking about countries coming together to compete .

The Olympics were quite nice.

[paulmuaddibKA]

Im nowhere close to being an example to no one

nor Im differentiating myself from you, like saying im better cause Im aware, Im just wanting you guys to open your eyes and see how much misery there is in this world, not only in far away places, but very close to your home too.

The motivation lies within.
We have machines that do our work.
The resources of this planet are limitless, dont let anyone lie to you about that.
I love when people dont agree with me, cause that way we both learn something new, and I suggest that if someone finds my views wrong, feel free to address the problem, so we can work together in our mutual understanding.
Im just a weakling with a Marihuana addition, and Im far away from knowing the solution to the problem. If I knew, you are right, I wouldnt be here.
Bringing the word to users helps acceptance and knowledge to spread.
Thanks for your insight!

[Hellspell]

"How many food has been wasted in this past month in London and surroundings."

I'm sure the athletes eat their food, and I don't think the Olympics can be blamed for Londoners who don't eat their greens

"How much more has the Thames been poisoned."

The Thames is cleaner and so has more wildlife than perhaps you'd imagine, we even had a bottlenose whale go in it once. Besides is it the Olympics fault people need to use the Thames?

"How many people have died in a car accident."

The transport systems in London were improved to cope with the Olympics and this benefit will remain.

"How many little kids, mothers, or weak have been hit with no one to protect them."

That's sad but I don't hold the Olympics responsible

"How many drugs have been consumed."

If the Olympics weren't held would there be a difference? Without that money spent, would there be less people in London doing drugs?

Also I invite you to read this http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/olympic-...acilities/

---

Go USA Go USA!!
USA pwned at swimming & basketball :D

And the women's football, I was 'rooting' for your country in that.

the Olympics was perfect, i love that spirit, good time for watching in TV and London as nice traditional place :P GG

My country's Olympics were perfect? That makes me unbelievably proud for some reason even though I had absolutely nothing to do with the games, except I sat on the sofa and watched them

---

I pretty much share your thoughts Hellspell, but i have always had an interest in watching athletes do thier thing.
i also think certain sports should be added but i dont think they ever will...

Spoiler

I'm not so sure, they have bmx cycling and that is a skate park sport too. You can draw similarities between In Line Skating and the Diving too which is already an Olympic sport. Come to think of it they could even have synchronised In Line Skating?