London security forces were on high alert at the Games. Only they
missed the ticking time bomb left behind. In addition to the luminous
pyrotechnics was the lurking challenge to the West: Will you continue to
dominate the world or will China?
No one announced it exactly
that way, but it seems clear by the staggering difference between the
two opening ceremonies. The Brits had fun, the Chinese were deadly
serious. The Brits celebrated individual accomplishments, the Chinese
staged a lockstep image of military precision. The Brits featured
children at play, the Chinese featured them at work.
The Brits
seemed comfortable in their historical skin whereas the Chinese had
something to prove. And they did! The Beijing Games were a spectacle of
success achieved by striving shoulder to shoulder, while the Brits took
time to show how success is often a personal not a patriotic affair.
So
is the rest of our century to be a historic competition between Western
Capitalism and Chinese Collectivism? Is our 2012 election about the
relative merits of rugged individual versus state planning?
Frankly
it's likely most of today's voters have scant understanding of
capitalism and collectivism. But maybe here's a hint. In the midst of
the opening ceremony's celebration of capitalism throughout the
centuries, 20% of the time celebrated the Brit's best example of
collectivism: National Health Program.
Funny, that idea's been
around the West ever since Bismarck at the turn of the 20th C. Yet half
of Americans still see it as something too new and different to adopt.
Thus the debate will keep ticking...
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Jack,
ReplyDeleteGood blog. I don't know if I agree with the Health Care inference but as to the ceremony:
#1.Danny Boyle must have had much input but his talent is not to be denied. #2. The Brits arose with their usual impeccable sound. The perfection was staggering to me as I listened to the various segments on my Voice of The Theater speakers, wheres there were many video challenges not met. Of course except for the closeups advantage there is nothing like being there. Nevertheless, my hat is off to the (most likely) hundreds of people on the sound staff who will be covering all of the venues.
Jerry ~ I share your admiration. How better to know the success of their sound tracks than you?!
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