Surviving Capitalism (Not) : London 2012: Has Money Killed The Olympic Spirit?

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, August 5, 2012

London 2012: Has Money Killed The Olympic Spirit?

Click here to access article by David Smith from Economy Watch.

The article will give you a good idea of who really benefits from the Olympics. I certainly don't want to take anything away from the athletes who have worked so long and so hard to refine their skills, but really...

The Games are put on by the 1 percent for the 1 percent, reflecting growing corporate power and income inequalities. It’s no longer about sport, but about spectacle.

Also, this piece entitled, "Greek Olympic officials spend thousands on exclusive club despite country's dire economy" by Mark Blunden from The Independent (UK), might also give you some flavor of the class nature of the 2012 Olympics.