Olympics | Opening Ceremonies

So the opening ceremonies are under way.

I am extremely susceptible to mass media manipulation. I am an ideal sucker.

I have a sucker's view about Christmas, and the Olympics.

Yes, we are indundated with clinical branding, kaledoscopic logo montages, and crass slice-of-life ads urging us to buy MORE STUFF in the name of patriotism, or universalism, or something.

But a utopian goal of the Games has always been to bring disparate cultures together. A chance to (duh-duh-duh, drum roll) let nations set their differences aside and send their best of the best to compete in a healthy, healing way that builds bridges. E.g. doesn't leave people dead afterwards.

It's sure a lot more difficult to hate a nation when you see the faces of its citizens. When you realize a person laughing looks remarkably similar across cultures.

I'm a sucker. Bring on the games. And go Denmark, and Iceland, and Mexico, and U.S.A.