The Olympics
The Olympics have been compared with the Roman Games
– it gives the masses something to amuse themselves and take their minds off the
real issues. There's certainly something to be said for this view, and not just
regarding the Olympics but sport generally. The US economy is on the precipice
of collapse and the freedom of individuals is getting more and more restricted
by governments, but so long as people can be kept diverted by sport then who cares?
However, there is another element to The Olympics. Many children are not intellectually endowed. Instinctual people may not do well in exams and can easily go off the rails. They find school boring and without a satisfactory outlet for their energy they can get disruptive. Sport offers a good outlet for their energy and The Olympics gives them – or at least the best of them – something to aim for.
Pride and patriotism are not fashionable concepts, but in fact pride in oneself is a side effect of success through effort. You can’t love or respect others unless you love and respect yourself. Patriotism, in moderation, is identification with a clan.
In England young adult males spend more on clothes than their female counterparts. The money is spent on branded goods and the brand identifies the individual with a particular group. This tribalism is disruptive for a country.
"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand," (Mark 3:24). Patriotism channels this tribalism in a constructive direction. The Singapore government understands this very well. Of course patriotism can turn into a nasty nationalism but the Olympics is designed to offer a constructive outlet for this.
