Boycotting the Olympics?

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Missing my point/I haven't explained myself well a bit. I don't want to boycott Chinese products because I have no problem with the Chinese people or China as a country. I have a problem with the current government and the Beijing Olympics have become very closely tied to the Chinese government. I don't really care if my shirt or car stereo is made in China as opposed to the US or even Australia.

Fair enough. I'd argue again that it isn't actually an event organised by the Chinese government and in fact an IOC event staged in China, but I can't really argue that the Chinese government has played a large part in its organisation and will indeed benefit from it.

However, I also think it's worth pointing out that the government benefits quite a bit from exports as well, particularly in its current format.

Funnily enough I think we're arguing the same points for and against our stands from different perspectives.

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by Clapo

Disappointed to read the last sentence tbh, Australian made ftw.

Hmmm, we're back, in a sense, at where we last left off aren't we? And again, its 1:15am and I really should be getting to bed.

I consciously look for Australian made stuff in some areas, but generally I don't think its a great idea to pay a price premium to prop up an uncompetitive industry. It's better for the market to have its way and for production to be allocated by specialisation. People complain about everything being made in China without acknowledging that in Australia we've, overall, had a massive rise in material wealth, and that much of that has been made possible by the low cost of consumer items manufactured in developing economies, especially China. Oil prices have played a part, but it's also no coincidences that the inflation problem we thought was defeated has reemerged at exactly the period that China is starting to hit some hard constraints in terms of its economic growth, and hence the costs of Chinese made goods have started to increase. China's capacity for growth and low production costs over the past 15 years played a massive, largely unsung role in the cost of living remaining so - relatively - stable in the developed economies.

The hard part about structural change in any economy is that despite economists' neat theorems, workers aren't interchangable widgets that can be moved from one sector to another without considerable dislocation and pain, and some people falling through the cracks entirely. What we need, as a society, to get better at is re-educating and retraining workers out of non-competitive industries and into jobs that are competitive, rather than plowing money into keeping non-viable industries afloat.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Matt79

If I really liked the Olympics, if it were (for instance) the cricket World Cup, I probably wouldn't plan on boycotting. But given, as stated, I'm not a big wrap on the Olympics anyway, that's my plan. Maybe that's slightly hypocritical - I'm not sure.

I will be boycotting, and I guess I'm the same as you just said above.

[KiWiNiNjA]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

I think boycotts of China could be better placed on Chinese merchandise than televised sport from the country.

So you are gonna go nude for a whole month or so?

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Meh, that's just rationalising cheating in my view. They obviously make a difference - I know they don't turn fat slobs into champions, but they give an extra edge.

Not rationalizing. I am not saying we should legalize it. But its very very low on the totem pole in terms of it affecting my ability to watch and enjoy the game.

Originally Posted by Matt79

No different from match-fixing in cricket or bribery in real life.

Huge difference. Match fixing is making yourself lose. Steroids and ball tampering and things like that is doing what you can to win. Something we celebrate. No one celebrates losing.

[silentstriker]

Originally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk

Manan with some shocking views on good sportsmanship.

To be honest, talking with people around here, I didn't think they were all that out of the ordinary. Surprised to be the lone guy on these boards.

[andyc]

Originally Posted by _Ed_

Having said that, I'll still find it hard not to watch when there's a NZer in with a strong medal chance.

So you are boycotting it then?

[Smudge]

Good time difference between NZ and China so I'll be tuning in for hours at a time. Terrible host country? Yeah, but there's sports on TV...

[howardj]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Anyone else thinking of just boycotting this year's Olympics? It's full of sports that I don't care about for 206 out of every 208 weeks, with competitors who always turn out to be on performance enhancing drugs, plus despite pipe-dreams about separating sport from politics it's serving to legitimise and celebrate current Chinese government despite the various crappy things that government has been doing and will no doubt continue to do. Just reckon, despite my normal bloke's ability to get into any televised sport after 10 minutes of watching, that I'll give the whole thing a miss this Olympiad.

Won't be boycotting, but will be very selective about the events I watch. Probably will, all up, watch about four or five hours. But yeah, I know what you mean about the drugs side of things. For me, I just don't trust any track and field athlete or cyclist...even some of the swimmers.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Steroids help, but they won't turn me into Barry Bonds anytime soon. Plus if enough people are taking it, it evens out.

No, but they turn moderately ‘good’ players such as Rafael Palmeiro into an unstoppable All-Star and Gold Glove players. It’s a huge stain against Baseball that its greatest players over the past decades are such unashamed cheats and that the sport itself believes ten day bans for injecting growth hormones into your ass is acceptable. Only someone who hasn’t done steroids, doesn’t know individuals who have lost five inches from their cock, or an American would suggest that shooting up is ‘ok’ if it evens itself out.

Incidentally, I will be in China when the Olympics are on, couldn’t give a **** about the Games (organic chemistry is a bit boring after spending years in the gym) but I hope China has a hugely successful tournament.

[steds]

I'm going to Boycott the olympics. Might do it right now.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Maybe that's slightly hypocritical - I'm not sure.

Of course it is, if Australia toured Bangladesh tomorrow and it was on TV you would presumably gleefully tune in (awaiting a Watto ton perhaps), that despite Bangladesh being the second biggest military dictatorship in the world.
Yet, that’s fine for the West tolerates that form of oppression, where political assassinations are always in vogue because Bangladesh is perceived as an unadulterated ****hole basket case but China is a threat thus every Johnny-come-lately and the Western media with their agenda jump on the bandwagon and start wheeling out passé arguments regarding Tibet.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by steds

I'm going to Boycott the olympics. Might do it right now.

Beijing is officially worried.

[steds]

Originally Posted by steds

I'm going to Boycott the olympics. Might do it right now.

Indeed.

[Burgey]

I enjoy watching the Olympics, but this time I'm not that enthusiastic about it.

It's not coz of the sports as such, more that the olympic movement carries on like it has a greater social and political significance than it really does.

I mean, they have slogans like "Peace" and "The Olympic Spirit" and "Celebrate Humanity", then they turn around and give the games to China, which on any measure is a very repressive regime. That kind of **** just annoys me, so I'll be brushing the opening ceremony, thereby no doubt missing the world's biggest ever puppet dragon, or whatever they're called, and missing out on that government having a chance to basically propogandise to the world.

But I suspect I'll be watching a fair few events.