Olympic Gloating

Ok, so London will be hosting the Olympics. That’s bad enough. But what’s worse is having to put up with the terrible gloating and jingoism that it’s already bringing out in people.

In the tube station at White City (and, I assume, elsewhere) London Transport had printed posters thanking all of their customers for their support of the bid (I particularly hate this kind of hyperbole that assumes that everyone agrees with some popular idea). At Tottenham Court Road the train indicator boards were scrolling the news that London’s bid had won – on the offchance that someone passing through the station had previously missed it).

Of course, the Evening Standard was at its offensive jingoist worst. Their front page headline declared “We’ve Won!” as though the population of London had somehow triumphed over some major adversity to win a major battle.

If this goes on for seven years I’m not going to be able to stand it.

And I dread tomorrow’s papers.

2 comments

  1. On the bright side, Stratford will finally get that velodrome they’ve been crying out for for years.I’m more amused than dismayed, thanks to posts like this.

  2. My sentiments exactly! Looking on the bright side, just think. The money and effort spent will at least be in the UK unlike some Iraqi adventure by a future administration, they wont have time nor money to do that.

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