A clear-sky day in Beijing?
The eldest group of students at my hagwon is cursed with a really inferior text in terms of real, applicable vocabulary. (It is called Expressways, if you are curious). As a supplement to this required text, I thought it would be beneficial to print up some relevant reading material about the Olympics. This is a particularly relevant topic these days and even from a young age, my students seem to have relatively formed viewpoints of foreign countries that interact or neighbor Korea. In this way I think young kids are limited (but accurate) barometers of their parents. We all accept what we are told first before we get to the novel notion that our thoughts are perhaps more relevant. Alas, these particular students were roughly 9th grade level, well into the age bracket that critical thinking discussions are waged in American classrooms.
As I perused the internet 5 minutes before my class (this is funny because making copies usually takes longer than this), I was unable to find anything that I thought was easy enough relating to this issue. Even high school kids learning a second language will read at around a 2nd-3rd grade reading level. Finally I saw a TIME magazine archive link, sort of a “this week in history” type thing. The article was difficult but I thought the concept of history repeating would be an easily graspable one with the help of my explanation as a crutch. It discussed all the changes being undertaken in 1936 Germany to appease the impending international flock of sightseers and sports enthusiasts.
These included such radical measures as removing large signs that said “Get out Jews” and hiding or detracting attention from other anti-Semitic displays. I have not since been able to find the article but I will surely post it on here as soon as I do. It discussed some people already being displaced and persecuted and even those politicians who opposed the opposition to the suppression of anti-Semitic propaganda. I felt that in some very critical ways, the article reflected things from the modern Olympic “preparations.”
Now this does not mean I think that China, with its seemingly unsustainable growth and exponential consumption, is in any way headed towards a Nazi-esque political state that single-handedly begins its own campaign of racial genocide. If you have gleamed this point so far, I urge you to keep reading so that I might explain. I feel the disaster awaiting China (and the rest of us) will be much different.
I feel that the Olympics have so much to offer a country in terms of prestige, notoriety, and a large economic boost that in many ways overshadows the more important humanitarian aspects. The phrase that comes to mind is “temporary appeasement.” Think about China, pulling 30% of automobiles off the road, cutting back factory usage, banning smoking in the streets, and killing millions of cats all in drastic attempts to curb the unsightly side effects of unchecked urban sprawl. Even if China manages to clean up the air enough to have the approval of even the most asthmatic athlete, do you think they’ll propagate these benefits after the Olympics? For the good of their people? HELL NO. And neither did Germany in terms of hiding their anti-Semitic propaganda longer than necessary. There are a billion people in China who are finally seeing some of the benefits of industrialization and they are not about to halt this process when it means such an increase in quality of life for the individual.
The then-new Stadium in Berlin
New Olympic venue in China
The Olympics were dug up in 1896, brushed off after centuries of hiatus, and re-implemented as a sign of goodwill and comraderie between nations. Oddly enough they have come to be a distraction that in some very crucial ways, detract from their own benevolent aims. Perhaps these are just symbols anyways, never meant for the good of all mankind. The goal instead seems to be putting the best foot forward while quickly shoveling the crap behind with the other. They (Olympic hosts) invest huge sums of money to improve the sports, transportation, and lodging infrastructure, and these buildings can continue to be used in the future:
“To accommodate all this, Berlin, cheated of the 1916 Olympics by the War, spent $24,000,000 on municipal improvements; a 325-acre Reichssportfeld including four stadiums, an outdoor theatre, basketball courts, pools, a polo field, a gymnasium; and an Olympic Village conveniently close to Staaken Airport which can use it for barracks when the Games are over.”
From Time Magazine, “Olympic Games” Aug. 10, 1936 view article here
We know how this story turned out in this case so it’s easier to draw conclusions that would have been impossible back then, however China remains a huge question mark for many people. And true to form they have done a great deal to hide the (many) less desirable aspects to improve their world image. Again, I am not saying China is going to begin an arms race or invade Poland or any such thing. I’m simply saying that there are parallels between the behavior of China for the Beijing Olympics and EVERY other Olympic event in history. This one is just perhaps a bigger scandal than normal.
I thought this would be a rich topic for discussion even though I knew the numerous barriers would prevent us from even scratching the surface, however it was met with the usual indifference. I tried to suggest a scenario where a student went to China and saw a huge sign that said “NO KOREANS” or “NO INDIANS” or anything, fill in the blank. And then they witnessed the sign being taken down. Well, was this because of political tides turning towards an enlightened side? No, of course not. It was another unsurprising side-step of humanity and common decency to allow for the making of money and a general economic boost.
I guarantee China will not resume trying to make more of these so called “clear sky” days, an already fatally flawed measurement system, for its people. The factories will resume operation, the streets will continue to see 25 thousand new cars every day (as explained by Ted Koppel on the Daily Show). And the struggle for and unchecked consumption of natural resources will continue.
I don’t really consider myself overly critical of China, the Olympics, or even all environmental factors for that matter. This doesn’t mean these don’t have completely valid and important points, I am just content to point out issues
