Olympics Opening Ceremony Has Confirmed My Hatred For Ceremonies & Rituals

[stopbush]

It all looks so insipid. The parading about, the stupid/grotesque production numbers that are meant to elicit oos and ahs. They make me laugh in an "I'm laughing AT you" kind of way.

I guess that's what happens when you go atheist and stay away from churches for 30 years. You lose touch with the veddi-important part ritual is supposed to play in the human experience.

BTW - did anyone else find that the commentary of the NBC crew was a few clicks below the sophomoric commentary NBC treats us to in their annual coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Meh. The deaf kids singing God Save the Queen

and the ones dancing on the beds in the NHS skit were worth the price of admission. They will remember being a part of that show for the rest of their lives.

[KurtNYC]

2. Seems very 1930s

Decadence, nationalism and fascism in the midst of austerity.

[Odin2005]

3. Bull, it was an awesome ceremony.

Lauer and Costas are assholes, tho.

[brewens]

4. I only watched it to see Paul McCartney. Not bad for a 70 year old. I couldn't

believe he could still do it at 60. !0 years ago he was awesome. I was just listening to that Back In The USA cd in my truck.

My only objection is that paying for all that is probably part of the reason your average bloke over there won't be seeing much of the games in person. I was just at a travel agency in a university town yesterday and asked if we had any locals over there for the games. Not one citizen went over there through them. They had some interest but it was way too expensive, and they do some business with people that really travel extensively.

[backscatter712]

14. Am I the only one who found McCartney's singing waaaaay off-key last night?

OW!

[brewens]

18. Yeah, I know. He's probably out of practice as well as getting too old to do it. I remember

his brief performance at The Concert for New york, following the 9/11 attacks. He didn't do all that well there either. Then he decided to do that tour. I think he said it was partly because his new wife had never seen him play. By the time he did the big tv show he had the pipes in fine shape and was great.

I'd like to get the DVD of that. I remember thinking it wasn't probably going to be that good judging from that post 9/11 appearance. I loved that show. He had a great band.

[XemaSab]

19. I was wondering why "Hey Jude" was chosen

[MineralMan]

5. This atheist found parts of it inspiring.

If such things don't appeal to you, I would suggest you not waste your time on them.

[Ezlivin]

6. If you started playing "Dark Side of the Moon" at the opening bell...

you would have seen amazing synchronicity and serendipity.

[valerief]

7. Thank you for your concern, Willard. nt

[flamingdem]

13. Willard is letting off steam on yet another hate on the Olympics thread

Enjoy Rafalka's show though you'll be hidden behind dark glasses (no cig though)

[zonkers]

8. Whut? Show was incredible. I agree with you about the NBC crew.

[qazplm]

9. Im an agnostic

never been religious my entire life, and I gotta say, your post is a little silly and if you truly feel that way, then one wonders what moves you.

[DiverDave]

10. then dont watch.

[HappyMe]

11. So, were you tied to chair and

forced to watch?

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Ah you got NBC stupid is, stupid does

they had their moments of really nice, like the kids singing the national anthem... and I chuckled with 007 escorting the queen.

They'd better get "The Doctor" for the closing ceremony.

But yes, could have used no commentary from the NBC vapid team.

Oh and celebrating NHS, that was a highlight for me.

[flamingdem]

15. You reveal yourself to be a person without understanding or feeling for

performance. It has nothing to do with religion, it's been there since the beginning.

[kwassa]

16. I loved the classic Anglican hymns sung by the children's choirs in the beginning.

Maybe that's why you didn't like it.

[randome]

17. So what about Gay Pride parades?

Mardi-gras? Thanksgiving Day parades?

Even without religion, rituals and ceremonies serve a purpose.

[jade3000]

20. Can I just watch some athletes march in?

I really could've done without the whole big production, history of England, James Bond, etc. craziness. The athletes marching in was BY FAR the best part of the ceremony. There should be a 30 minute time limit on all the nonsense before the athletes parade.

[UTUSN]

21. K&R #1 for, I am alienated from ritualism after 45 yrs of my beloved secularism, too

At funerals I am totally awkward, and since the few that I go to are for people I cared that much about, it's too bad that my feelings for the persons are marred in public that way.

Don't let the brickbats get you down!1