I abhor the Olympics.

[someonehairy-ish]

I've spent the past couple of days sat in front of the TV, cheering team GB on. I'm not a huge sports person now, but I used to be into a few things... snowboarding, parkour, rugby, rowing... it's good to encourage this kind of interest in sports and it's nice to see the world come together for something good.
The first ever games where women have been allowed to participate by every country involved is a milestone too.

If you'd asked me a week or so ago I'd have been more cynical. But I've really enjoyed every moment of the games so far and I'm sure I'll continue to do so. It's the first time in over a year that I've been galvanised into trying to get back into shape.

Asking what's the point of it is kind of stupid. It's about competition, achievement, it's about being involved in something as a nation and also about welcoming people of all nations. I'd say it has a lot more going for it than your shitey reality TV and films which themselves serve no real purpose.

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

In future, when posting long rants, please refrain from the good ol' block o text and double space between paragraphs.

Like this.

 

[HigherTomorrow]

OP:

VALIDATE EVERYTHING YOU ENJOY.
GO ON.

DO IT.

I freaking hate people who post stupid shit like this. "I hate this, how could anyone like it, what's the point?" The point is people enjoy it.

 

[sethisjimmy]

This isn't about the Olympics. You clearly just don't understand sports. Personally I'm not a fan of team sports either, but it's mindblowingly easy to see why people like it. It's healthy, it's fun, it's physical, there's strategy involved, teamwork, there's great challenge, great competition.

The comparison to reality TV is beyond me. How are these alike at all?

 

[frizzlebyte]

This isn't about the Olympics. You clearly just don't understand sports. Personally I'm not a fan of team sports either, but it's mindblowingly easy to see why people like it. It's healthy, it's fun, it's physical, there's strategy involved, teamwork, there's great challenge, great competition.

The comparison to reality TV is beyond me. How are these alike at all?

I could see the "reality tv" comparison, because a lot of the Olympics focuses on the personal stories behind the athletes. In that respect, it's more true to "reality tv" than any other "reality tv" show out there.

I think you are right when you say the OP doesn't get sports. Every time the Olympics comes around, I get inspired to try fencing, something I have wanted to do for a long time.

The only difference this time around: I finally found a local place that gives classes in sabre fencing, so I'm gonna go try it out soon.

 

[The_Healer]

I feel sorry for you.
You obviously aren't good at anything and thus are petrified at being compared to others.

The Olympics are for those people who are the best at what they do, to compete against others at what they love. They couldn't really care less if you watch them or not, they have worked for most of their lives to get there.

So please, I implore you, if you don't want to watch the Olympics, don't.
That way we can do without your incessant whining.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

For me, I just wish the sport was relegated to the 759 sport channels, instead of moving everything else out of the way so we can see highlights of the Albania-Luxembourg ribbon twirling quarter finals.

So I'm kind of with the OP.

However, During the opening ceremony, the president of the Olympics gave a speech about how this was the first olympics to have female competitors from every country, and the camera shifted to groups from Saudi Arabia and the like, and I so enjoyed see women in headscarves so evidently happy and proud to be there, and extremely grumpy men with big moustaches glaring, obviously hating the equality of it all

I'll put up with it all for that bit

 

[flames09]

Oh god.. not another one of the 'what is the point of sport' people. If you really cant wrap around the fact people like different things then... I have no words.

I mean really? how can one be so ignorant.

I am really beginning to wonder about this community, begging to give the impression that we are all 'closeted up nerds who hate sport and popular people'.

Bah, we are better than this.

 

[TallanKhan]

Im not against the olympics per se and as a British citizen i feel moderatley proud of the work thats gone into the olympics but i have to admit sport as an istitution doesnt do alot for me. I cant get my head around why sport (unlike any other kind of activity) gets to use the argument "sport is good because its sport" and why people just nod and agree. While sport does generally lead to exercise which can be positive (although thats not an argument i accept for sports like golf and dart) there are equally negative elements. These include but arent limited to physical injury from playing, violence as a result of sport (fights between supporters ect) and quite often the production of highly undesirable role-models for children (some sports people not all).

Now Im not saying sport is bad, or that it shouldnt be promoted even, I just think it ought to be made to justify its value like any other activity. If i made a public statement that: "Everyone should watch more TV because TV is good for you" the universal response would be "WTF? Explain yourself." and rightly so. But people say "People should play sports because sport is good for you" and everyone goes "Oh ok, sport is good".

 

[CrazyDave DC]

Having a bad week, are we?

I can understand how you seemingly don't enjoy any kind of sport since I have friends who think the same way, but it surprises me how you're not just indifferent about the Olympics, you actually want "this whole useless event to go away forever." What truly vexes me is that you seem incapable of discerning a bigger picture to the Olympics, that they're more than just men and women flexing their muscles to prove who's the best.

From my understanding, the Olympics are supposed to be about an exercise of international cooperation and a show of goodwill from all corners of the globe. True, it hasn't always been about that and politics always manages to seep into it, but the point of the Olympics has always been a celebration of what humanity can do both as athletes and as members of a global community.

There's something quite admirable about how an individual can devote so much time into training and honing their skills just to be one tenth of a second faster, or one centimetre farther. What Olympic athletes demonstrate is perseverance and determination to better themselves. They inspire others to push themselves in different ways and, in so doing, teach people the value of hard work and the intrinsic rewards therein.

These are the things I think you have left out from being so narrow-minded. While we are not all inclined to sports, we can at least see they have some benefits.

 

[unstabLized]

You just badmouthed hockey. Canada is now your enemy.

Launching polar bears armed with AK 47's in 5..4..3...

 

[Savryc]

Sorry OP, your spurting fountains of nerd tears got in the way of reading your strange little opinions.

 

[TheAmokz]

the Olympics is all about who can use steroids and get away with it.

Are... Are you joking? The steroids joke is getting a bit tiring. Competitive athletes who represent their country for national pride...

And Yoon really denouncing everybody who works years and years for this as cheaters on steroids.... PLEASE... Just tell me you're joking...

Sure, there are some good and honest athletes who work hard to represent their counties in the Olympics, but those guys/gals only make up some 10%. Also, Olympics is hardly about representing your country, its more about representing your sponsor.

 

[puff ball]

others have summed up my feelings already, but i would like to point out the insane amount of money the UK is likely to make from tourist revenue. yeah they spent a lot of money in preparation for this event but they will make all of that back and then some.

 

[Jamous]

Many find it entertaining, thrilling, heart-warming. Many find it a shit, pointless waste of time and money. Personally I balance myself between them and often find myself slightly amused.

 

[CaptOfSerenity]

Oh no, something you don't like is popular? Get over it.

I don't like the Olympics either, but you're indignant rage is unnecessary (and not very funny). You also came across as kind of a dick. You never want to be overly flippant if its not for comedic effect.

Why am I the comedy police all of a sudden?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Snip

Lots of people like it. We are not making you watch it. People DO enjoy football, American football (or handoval), swimming, etc.

You don't find it entertaining? Fine, do something else. Watch that movie, make that receipe. It's your life, live it the way you want, don't tell others how to be entertained.

Tons of money is spent on what seems like "useless" endeavors. Films, for example, all the billions spent on films each years is billions that isn't going to children in Africa with cancer, what good does that 2 hours of sitting and staring at a screen in a dark room ever done?

 

[cerealnmuffin]

I do agree that it is stupid to get wrapped up in what "YOUR" team does in a professional game. Some people's self esteem seem connected to how well some guys who just happen to live in their city do in a game. I've seen super overweight guys yell at players for not running fast enough or catching the ball.... I guess I can understand if people enjoy watching the competition especially if they also do the sport.

I just don't understand the whole 'I'm going to cheer for this guy cause he is from my country'. Football riots are also extremely pathetic. Oh no, some guys you don't know from your country didn't win by kicking a ball... time to act like 5 year olds who just had their toy car taken away.

I've heard it is a way to feel vicariously good about yourself if "your team" wins which is very sad.

Though participating in sports is much different as I absolutely love running. I feel very proud of myself; love the challenge and just getting to be alone with my thoughts, it releases happy hormones; and I'm finally beating lifelong depression thanks to getting back into running. I go 4 times a week and I'm up to 14km per run, hope to reach 20km a run (while keeping good pace by end of the summer. So I get the appeal in playing sports and think everything should set down the remote or controller to go outside a few times a week. I just don't get the whole basing your self worth on how some other people pass a ball. I do watch ice skating on occasion but I don't scream 'GO AMERICA!'. I view it like ballet and just enjoy the artistry. Some of my fave skaters are from eastern europe and asia.

my captcha was 'talk turkey'.... I really miss eating turkey since I've been living in Korea for past 2 years.

 

[Innegativeion]

I'd rather blow my brains out than watch people play sports.

That said, some of-who am I kidding?- MANY of my closest loved ones would rather blow THEIR brains out than play my favorite video games. I think video games will be instrumental to humanity's artistic future, but I don't really mind. Why? Everyone has their own preferences they can't control. I'll never watch a baseball game with my dad unless its in a stadium (hey, I like the hotdogs), but he'll never play a round of league of legends with me. I have no right to detest anyone for that.

And even with my affliction of extreme boredom whilst watching sports, I applaud the olympics for its stated goal of breeding international brotherhood and sportsmanship. Even if it doesn't do that in quite as practical a way as we'd like it to, the symbol of the olympics is still very important.

I also feel it's extremely important as a way to give people who devote their lives to a discipline the rewards they deserve.