Sunday, August 17, 2008

Hubris is...

Individuals willingly training for more than a year to perform with unbelievably un-human-like synchrony at the Beijing Olympics opening.

Visually replacing the pudgy crooked-teethed young singer with a lip-synching symmetrically sweet girl.

Allocating national funds, dedicating one's entire body and life for a sport and subjecting the self to so much stress -- all to get a medal worth hardly $5 symbolising global recognition.

A retired Chinese citizen learning English at his own cost in order to pass an entire battery of tests to give him the eligibility to volunteer hosting the exodus of Olympics tourists.(Watch "Mad about English" for more on the Chinese spirit.)

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All aren't necessarily bad. But I find the lengths that people would go for the human pride simply amazing. Rationality and pragmatism have no say when pride is at stake.

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