The 2008 Olympic Ceremonies - 8/13/2008

I'm not a fan of sports whatsoever, and I'm even less of a fan of the Olympics.  It exemplifies the unification of mind and body, and for what it's worth it does an admirable job of proving what mankind can accomplish if they throw themselves into physical self-improvement with full commitment.  But like most sports, the Olympics simply bore me.  Pushing one's capacities to the limit, and oftentimes to the point of exhaustion, seems rather pointless to me.  Why expound so much energy for a mere competition against your peers?  Honor, self-respect, fame?  Excuse me while I yawn myself into a semi-catatonic trance. 

I truly feel these Olympic athletes are extraordinary individuals, but my belief is that they should be putting their vast potential and their discipline into endeavors more worthy of our collective time.  Such as arts, the humanities, and helping the environment.  And I can hear the argument being made that the Olympics IS an avenue of artistic expression, with the canvas being the human body.  And of course one can propose that the Olympics is an undeniable humanitarian effort, as it unifies nations and promotes solidarity throughout the world.  So I suppose my entire point has been rendered moot through my own admission, and I should probably move on.

What I'm actually writing about is the ceremonies which kicked off the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  It was, without a doubt, one of the most awe-inspiring achievements I have ever seen.  The choreography was stunning, and the scope of the entire event was second-to-none.  The energy created by the performers, coupled with the powerful use of color and sound, was absolutely transcendent.  JK Rowling described a similar ceremony before the Quidditch World Cup in her novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  But even with the limitless possibilities of magic at their disposal, no wizard could manage to pull off a spectacle as extraordinary as the 2008 Olympic Ceremonies.

The majesty of this extravaganza was a testament to what human beings are capable of, given an impetus for a significant formal celebration.  Truly, it was more beautiful than words can describe, and I HIGHLY recommend you download the HD version available on bitorrent sites such as piratebay or mininova.