Cancel the Beijing Olympics ASAP

[Kubra]

Well, I am gonna say, I've been in talks with somebody with a bigger perspective on the PRC than what I have, and coming to terms that mine's skewed on the subject, and what I am going to do is, for the time-being, simply stop posting and do more reading and research. Much more reading and research.

hey why not read Chuang if you want a perspective
Sorghum and steel is pretty fn great ngl

[GuessTheAltAccount]

Well, I am gonna say, I've been in talks with somebody with a bigger perspective on the PRC than what I have, and coming to terms that mine's skewed on the subject, and what I am going to do is, for the time-being, simply stop posting and do more reading and research. Much more reading and research.

Glad to see someone willing to reconsider their worldview. Even if I don't come to otherwise agree with whatever your next perspective turns out to be, that it comes from someone willing to have reconsidered it is something I'll have no doubt is a point in its favour.

I wish you'd also re-evaluate your occasional decision to strawman what it is people are saying, but hey, one step at a time...

[Luziyca]

We shouldn't cancel them: even if we set aside this "claim" that China unleashed COVID-19 to the world, the fact is that there have been a fuckton of Olympics in countries with awful human rights records: Berlin and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936, Mexico City in 1968, Moscow in 1980, Beijing in 2008, just to name a few. None of these got cancelled due to their human rights records, even though people demanded them. Even in the case of massive boycotts (in Montreal in 1976, Moscow in 1980, and Los Angeles in 1984), the games still went on.

So no, I don't think the IOC/IPC will rescind Beijing's hosting rights, particularly on grounds so flimsy that it makes the inside of the Sampoong Department Store look firm and stable.

[Conservative Republic Of Huang]

Well, I am gonna say, I've been in talks with somebody with a bigger perspective on the PRC than what I have, and coming to terms that mine's skewed on the subject, and what I am going to do is, for the time-being, simply stop posting and do more reading and research. Much more reading and research.

Look for translated Chinese works especially, even semi-fictional or fictional works, since you'll need a window into Chinese society and customs, which come through much more in original Chinese works than original English works which are usually just Westerner's impressions of China, which aren't usually completely accurate.

[Kubra]

indeed. The person leaves no room for doubt, no? I mean they talk the talk quite fluently, and we know them as such without them ever having to tell us, without ever having to say "Marx" or "Marxist" with any frequency.
This is the inverse with China, innit?

I mean, not necessarily. Even the very first topic there, "The People’s Wish for a Good Life Is Our Goal," is a speech by Xi Jinping that conveys very Marxist ideas as both his core principles and the core principles of the CPC without once name-dropping Marx. Like I said earlier, those quotes where he talked about Marx and Marxism were a mistake of me conflating affirmations he made that the PRC is a Marxist country with Marxist-type quotes.

The gist I'm getting at is the "core" isn't particular to Marxism. It's socialist-ish I guess, but Marxism ain't just socialism with sickles.
Let me put it this way: Say I were the replace all mentions of China and replace them with Spain, and replace "socialism with chinese characteristics" with "spanish social-democracy", CPC with whatever it is they call their party congresses, and rewrite the little bit of chinese history. Then say I attribute the speech to Pedro Sanchez of PSOE. You would no doubt be able to identify as socialisty-or-something, but would you be able to confidently call it "marxist"?
Meanwhile, let's talk a marxist core: if I were to take one of Duvniask's posts and post it under Saiwania's name, what other conclusion would there to be to make other than that Saiwania has taken a radical political turn towards the left?

[Attancia]

Cancel them yes. Not because of COVID, but because of the countless atrocities committed by the Chinese Communist Party.

[Senkaku]

Is it a spectacular failure to bring a definitive end to famines across China, which has experienced none whatsoever since 1961?

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology (except the Americans I guess lol) and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now, America & China have permanently ended famine as a threat to human life and there will be no consequences or future famines waiting for us as a result of the plenty that the superpowers have mercifully bestowed on humanity

[Diarcesia]

Is it a spectacular failure to bring a definitive end to famines across China, which has experienced none whatsoever since 1961?

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now

Gotta grab that top hat and monocle and sip my morning tea before reading this post.

[Ifreann]

Is it a spectacular failure to bring a definitive end to famines across China, which has experienced none whatsoever since 1961?

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology (except the Americans I guess lol) and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now, America & China have permanently ended famine as a threat to human life and there will be no consequences or future famines waiting for us as a result of the plenty that the superpowers have mercifully bestowed on humanity

Communism is when tractors, and the more tractors the more communister it is.
- Charles Markwell

[Senkaku]

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology (except the Americans I guess lol) and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now, America & China have permanently ended famine as a threat to human life and there will be no consequences or future famines waiting for us as a result of the plenty that the superpowers have mercifully bestowed on humanity

Communism is when tractors, and the more tractors the more communister it is.
- Charles Markwell

If it worked for the Aral Sea it can work for the Yellow River

[Kubra]

Is it a spectacular failure to bring a definitive end to famines across China, which has experienced none whatsoever since 1961?

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology (except the Americans I guess lol) and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now, America & China have permanently ended famine as a threat to human life and there will be no consequences or future famines waiting for us as a result of the plenty that the superpowers have mercifully bestowed on humanity

It's harder than you'd think, man.

[Senkaku]

yes what a glorious achievement they accomplished in learning to use fossil fuel energy to boost agricultural productivity, no other country could have figured out such magical technology (except the Americans I guess lol) and as a result the future of the Chinese food supply is looking bright! If the rest of the world could just also pave their river valleys in tractor factories & fertilizer plants we’d all be fine right now, America & China have permanently ended famine as a threat to human life and there will be no consequences or future famines waiting for us as a result of the plenty that the superpowers have mercifully bestowed on humanity

It's harder than you'd think, man.

If “hasn’t had a famine since at least 1961” is to be considered a major accomplishment and justify hagiographies of the PRC then I have a whole list of countries for you to acclaim as planetary defenders against capitalism and American imperialism

[Bombadil]

It's harder than you'd think, man.

If “hasn’t had a famine since at least 1961” is to be considered a major accomplishment and justify hagiographies of the PRC then I have a whole list of countries for you to acclaim as planetary defenders against capitalism and American imperialism

And it's not true anyway, the Cultural Revolution was hardly a time of feasting..

[Saiwania]

Countries have boycotted the olympics before but I now wonder.. What if an individual athlete decided to do so instead if they objected to the host country and what it stands for?

Would an athlete that qualifies for the olympics be obligated to go if their country's team is participating and they'll get fired if they don't go, or would they be able to remain an athlete but will miss out on medals/events/sponsorship money?

[Senkaku]

If “hasn’t had a famine since at least 1961” is to be considered a major accomplishment and justify hagiographies of the PRC then I have a whole list of countries for you to acclaim as planetary defenders against capitalism and American imperialism

And it's not true anyway, the Cultural Revolution was hardly a time of feasting..

Well, it’s still easier than trying to justify a cutoff date of 1951…

[Pasong Tirad]

Well, I am gonna say, I've been in talks with somebody with a bigger perspective on the PRC than what I have, and coming to terms that mine's skewed on the subject, and what I am going to do is, for the time-being, simply stop posting and do more reading and research. Much more reading and research.

hey why not read Chuang if you want a perspective
Sorghum and steel is pretty fn great ngl

Can't recommend Chuang enough. For perspectives from Hong Kongers and Taiwanese folks, consider Lausan and New Bloom Magazine, respectively. The former is more radical and decolonial in its perspective, and the latter is more of a progressive news org from a Taiwanese perspective.

[Luziyca]

Countries have boycotted the olympics before but I now wonder.. What if an individual athlete decided to do so instead if they objected to the host country and what it stands for?

Would an athlete that qualifies for the olympics be obligated to go if their country's team is participating and they'll get fired if they don't go, or would they be able to remain an athlete but will miss out on medals/events/sponsorship money?

I think most countries would just yeet the athlete out of the team and choose the next most-qualified person to take their spot for the Olympics. I'm sure it'll benefit the Polish swimming team in particular, since if enough swimmers boycott they might be able to send the correct number of swimmers to the next Olympics.

[The Lone Alliance]

I'd more suggest not giving China the Olympics because they had the Olympics not too long ago. Give someone else a turn.

[Haganham]

Hosting the Olympics in China now is like hosting the Olympics in Germany, in 1944

I'd more suggest not giving China the Olympics because they had the Olympics not too long ago. Give someone else a turn.

but they paid so many bribes.

[Republic Of Ludwigsburg]

Look man, I get that you want it cancelled but I want it to be cancelled for a better reason. We need to have safety during Covid-19 and having an Olympic is quite dangerous.

[Neutraligon]

The topic is not communism.

[Sungoldy-China]

All Olympic games should be held in Greece from now on.

If we can also restore the tradition of athletes participating in the nude,
I support Greece for hosting the Olympic Games forever

[Grenartia]

Well, I am gonna say, I've been in talks with somebody with a bigger perspective on the PRC than what I have, and coming to terms that mine's skewed on the subject, and what I am going to do is, for the time-being, simply stop posting and do more reading and research. Much more reading and research.

All I know is that the Torra I remember never defended fascist genocidal regimes.

Beating people with a stick makes them no happier if it's labeled 'The People's Stick'.

[Ayytaly]

All Olympic games should be held in Greece from now on.

If we can also restore the tradition of athletes participating in the nude,
I support Greece for hosting the Olympic Games forever

Co-ed mud wrestling? I'm.down with that.

[Kannap]

Millions dead.

Many who survived physically damaged and psychologically traumatized.

All because of a disease that started either from China's labs or China's failure to regulate their own wetmarkets, and China's failure to prevent this new disease from spreading to the rest of the world.

Blaming China for the disease, take a shot everybody.

Holding the Olympics in China would be an insult to the memory of those who died. And it would embolden the CPC to wonder what else they could get away with.

You can blame other countries' failure to prepare for this pandemic until you're blue in the face, but the fact remains that none of this would've happened if China did the bare minimum to contain this, and there being actual consequences for this matters more than a few Olympians having to wait a few more years for their gold medal. People call it a once in a lifetime opportunity, but that's not necessarily the case. There are those who've gone to the Olympics multiple times.

I vote we also cancel Los Angeles 2028 and reward those Games to another country because we've never punished the United States for starting the Spanish Flu. If this idea sounds asinine, look in a mirror.

But cancelling the Beijing Olympics actually WOULD be a once in a lifetime opportunity. And opportunity to send a message to the CPC there's a limit on what they can get away with, and to the IOCC to never pick China again.

This is the most boring "lifetime opportunity" I've heard of recently, do better.