Originally Posted by garinda (Post 1014724)

It's been no more jingoistic than any other international sporting competition.

Might write the odd good ditty, but Morrissey's a fool.

Some of what I've seen this summer at the Games was very moving, and showed off the best human qualities there are. Mainly that effort, self-discipline, steely grit, and determination are great qualities to possess.

Was it worth all the extraordinary expense? Not in my opinion.

Will the supposed national 'feel good' factor last? No.

Am I glad I got to watch it, and was I moved to tears by the efforts of better people than myself, especially in the Paralympics?

Yes.

:o

Originally Posted by kestrelx (Post 1014804)

Mmm I understand where Morrisey is coming from - why does everything revolve around the Queen and her spawn?:rolleyes:

The Olympics is basically a circus and it's influence will wane in time.

I just wonder perhaps if demands on normal disabled people will be too much in the light of those super hero's of the paralympics. Should we judge disabled people generally off the example
shown in this sporting event? I don't think we should!

Originally Posted by Houseboy (Post 1014848)

The Paralympians were phenomenal!! Nothing can take away from their amazing achievements. However the question is continually being posed now about whether or not this will change people's views of the disabled.
I think not!
Why should it? Have the achievements of the Olympics made anyone change their attitudes to the able-bodied? The thing is that the paralympians are an extremely special breed, just as their able-bodied counterparts are. Just because someone with no legs can run faster than me (a truly wonderful achievement) doesn't mean that I or anyone else will look any differently open an "ordinary" disabled person. The mind just doesn't work like that. People who achieve greatness (in whatever capacity) are the exception to the rule and that is why we (metaphorically speaking) look up to them.

Originally Posted by jaysay (Post 1014855)

What I did watch I preferred the Paralympics, just watching on Saturday night was mind blowing, how people with some bad disabilities could perform in the way they, Danny Weir in the 5000m wheelchair race was just as inspiring as Mo Farah was a few weeks earlier, truely great to see

Originally Posted by Houseboy (Post 1014848)

The Paralympians were phenomenal!! Nothing can take away from their amazing achievements. However the question is continually being posed now about whether or not this will change people's views of the disabled.
I think not!
Why should it? Have the achievements of the Olympics made anyone change their attitudes to the able-bodied? The thing is that the paralympians are an extremely special breed, just as their able-bodied counterparts are. Just because someone with no legs can run faster than me (a truly wonderful achievement) doesn't mean that I or anyone else will look any differently open an "ordinary" disabled person. The mind just doesn't work like that. People who achieve greatness (in whatever capacity) are the exception to the rule and that is why we (metaphorically speaking) look up to them.

Originally Posted by garinda (Post 1014915)

I think the Paralympics will have shown even more people that having 'a' disability doesn't necessarily mean you can't be truly brilliant in other areas. Anyone who watched The Best of Men, about the founding of the games, and how many people were literally left to rot in some cases, will already know just how much attitudes have changed over recent years.

No way do I class myself as being 'disabled', though I suppose I am on paper because I have Parkinson's. My only real natural talent was for art, which I can no longer do. Though I was lucky enough to have earned a crust by it until I retired. I'm never going to run a marathon, but I have found other things to fill that gap, that I'm better at, than I ever thought I could be.

If they ever make 'one non-dominant handed cutting-to-the-quick typing' an event, I might even make it into the team, and be there at Rio 2016.

:rolleyes::D