Watching TV last night was like stepping back in time. I’d guess I’d underestimated what two weeks of positive media coverage can do. All I’ve noticed – on the radio, in the papers, and on the TV over the last 48 hours has been the old parade of things gone wrong, bad news and depressing forecasts. Do we really have to go back to this?
There’s going to be a lot of talk about legacy after this wonderful Olympics, and it’s not surprising. For over two weeks we’ve lived in a different Britain, one where the press had no choice but to stop finding fault with everything and join the party, one where we got our fill of drama from actual drama, and where we remembered striving, succeeding, and failing as core human experiences that connect us to our neighbours. Is it any wonder I feel down at the prospect of returning to live in broken Britain after I’ve seen what this country can really be about? The legacy debate could confine itself to creating an enduring sporting platform, but I hope it aims at a larger vision.
There was a moment during the closing ceremony when a choice was paraded in front of us. Through the crowds of assembled young men and women, who’ve spent years chasing a dream and putting themselves through tremendous struggle to hone their talent…strutted the models. The plastic walking through the fantastic. Have we found anything in the cult of celebrity, overnight-success talent shows or Eastender values that lifts the spirits like people striving to be the best they can be?
I saw Sharon’s return to Albert Square heavily advertised during the Game’s coverage. Any chance she’s come back to open a youth centre to inspire a generation? No I didn’t think so.
Could the Leveson enquiry lead to an outcome where the press balance their coverage by reporting on human successes, and redefine the difference between what is actually in the public interest to know, and what is simply feeding our baser curiosity? It could, but will it?
Could our school system coax excellence through competition to better equip our children for the realities of life? Can it support every child in any aspiration? Teach them the value and ethic of struggle rather than treating competition as a dirty word? Encourage them to treat failure as a way of learning how to succeed, and encourage respect for the potential of our body on a daily basis? Imagine that Britain for a moment…
And could politics be about people actually representing us and not their own vested interests? I was grumpy all the way up to the Olympics because it felt as if it had been snatched away from us by the corporates and big wigs. And then we snatched it back. If we would only do the same with our governance.
The Olympics has probably been the high point of my life as a citizen of Great Britain. A moment when pride in my country actually meant something beyond jingoism – and it wasn’t the medals that brought that feeling. It was watching the creative brilliance of the opening bring the richness of our Britishness into such eccentric focus. It was seeing the spirit of the Games Makers demonstrate that we already have a Big Society, and the ‘reserved British’ public provide the joy that transformed an athletics meeting into a party. For over two weeks it’s been the coolest thing to be a Brit.
There are several highlights that underscore what the legacy can mean to us. Watching tens of thousands of Britons waving the Union Jack in celebration at the victory of a mixed race woman from Sheffield, a refugee from Somalia, and a Ginger jumper on the same night, took the flag out of the hands of the BNP and their ilk and gave it back to us.
Seeing Oscar Pistorius run – such a fusion of science and spirit – was wonderful, but the moment when the eventual winner, Ugandan Kirani James, asked to exchange race numbers with him, and hail the South African Blade Runner as an inspiration, took it to another level all together.
To see Katherine Grainger finally win gold after three silvers was like watching someone channelling Churchill’s exhortation to ‘Never, never, never give up’.
To see Gemma Gibbons remembering her dead mother in the moments after her victory reminded us of the importance of love.
To see her beaten by Kayla Harrison who’d been sexually abused by her coach reminded us once again that we’re defined by what we make out of the things that happen to us, rather than the things themselves.
All are examples of what we’re capable of achieving, and what is truly worth celebrating about humanity. For me, the legacy is so much more than creating a platform for more sporting success. It’s about turning our country into a nursery for our children to grow into adults who strive – in every avenue of life. Who enjoy their success in whatever passion they have, who are encouraged to learn from their failures, who help their neighbours, who support their fellow strugglers. Who are taught kindness and giving as gold medal virtues. To always look on the bright side of life.
A legacy of spirit.
That’s the fire I hope the Olympic flame on our soil will light.
Absolutely brilliant blog post Trevor
Wonderful piece Trevor. I’ve noticed it too. Do you think it’s up to those who have noticed this to keep the flag waving…? 🙂
I couldn’t agree more. I don’t follow sport, and would only watch the occasional snippet of the Olympics normally, but I was hooked from beginning to the end.
It wasn’t the sport itself that hooked me. It was the determination and courage of all the competitors, no matter what nationality. The disbelief and pride that they had won a medal.
We did ourselves proud!
An excellent provocative (in the most healthy way) post, Trevor.
“Watching tens of thousands of Britons waving the Union Jack in celebration at the victory of a mixed race woman from Sheffield, a refugee from Somalia, and a Ginger jumper on the same night, took the flag out of the hands of the BNP and their ilk and gave it back to us.”
Never a truer word. I had manys a chuckle thinking of the little Englanders – who 20 years ago were ‘not counting’ John Barnes goals for England cos he was black – choking on their cornflakes as a nation arose to acclaim it’s sporting heroes… many of whom happened to be non-white.
Wonderful post Trevor. The spirit of the last two weeks and the pride I feel at being British has quite taken my breath away….I totally did not expect it!
It has been a huge eye opener and I couldn’t agree with you more your writing gets better especially with your passion. Surprisingly enough I put my Uruguayan passport away and waved my British one cause the pride I have in this country in the common people who took the Olympics back after the corporates and the politicians tried to take all the credit is amazing.
Great blog
Fantastic blog and what a fantastic event.
It seems we live in a world of pessimism, corporate greed, social inequality, all under the auspices of successive governments and politicians that put themselves ahead of the people whilst their free market flagwavers stood on the sidelines cheering.
For a short time we saw Britain as it could be without the influence of the ‘me before others’, ‘money before value’ and ‘get back in your box’ proponents.
You are so right when you say that we have an opportunity – can we turn that newfound positivity into something worthwhile? A true lasting legacy of change and progression in the UK? Can we be a country where we hold our elected leaders and the companies whose goods we purchase to account? Can we tackle the crushing economic, poticial and social ideological ignorance of those who look to the States for answers?
Can we insist that the press not push us down a path of misery? Can we tackle the outdated and tradition bound shackles that hold back so many areas of progression? Can we encourage a generation to look at alternatives to a career of slicing numbers to make a further few quid? And can we reform education to take the fear from Teachers?
It may be a lot to ask for based on simply 2 weeks of sport and goodwill but if only 10% of that happens, what a difference it will make.
Great blog Trevor.
I find Trevor’s comments inspiring and even I – who generally dislikes sport – found that the Olympics generated a feel good feeling.
It almost made me forget about the commercialism, the drug taking, the match fixing, the stomping on civil liberties, about the poor business people who were forced to change the name of their business, etc. etc.
Let us not forget that the only thing that connects all sport is competition – what other connection does air rifle shooting, yachting, swimming and beach volley ball have with each other except the requirement that one person is trying to prove they can do something better than other people?
What our sad, over populated, under resourced planet needs more than anything is cooperation not competition. Countries should be working with each other to solve global problems and not trying to prove they can produce more athletic freaks than anyone else.
Did you know that Chinese swimmers are taken from their families at the age of 7 and made to swim for hours each day in metal vacuum tanks? The Chinese have 3000 of these ‘training camps’. This is the real cost of the Olympics and it is caused by giving countries a platform to show off their nationalism. Would it not be so much better if competitors took part as individuals rather than as representatives of countries?
You make some great points Peter. I don’t think it has to be competition or cooperation, they can co-exist in successful relationships – it’s defining the appropriate contexts for each that’s important. And we have to recognise the presence of competitiveness in our dna, to try to deny its expression is to lose something that I think is important to our wellbeing.
I agree about the presence of the negatives in the run up to the Olympics, it was part of the message of my piece. The Olypmpics doesn’t belong to the corporates, or the countries using it to promote their system, or the cheats. It belongs to the strivers, and those in the audience who connect to their striving. And what China does, for now, is beyond my sphere of influence. But can we help Britain to be the change we’d like to see in the rest of the world? I’d like to think so.
Thanks Scott. And you know I’m going to say, yes I do:)
Trevor, what a wonderful blog. You’ve voiced what so many of us are feeling, after the absolute joy of the last two weeks.
Doesn’t this prove though that Britain isn’t actually broken? Could a broken country have created and taken part so enthusiastically and peacefully, in all the marvellous events that have been staged this year?
We may never have Utopia, greed and self interest may still emerge as part of the human condition, but the cynical negativity of the British media, mostly the press, does untold harm to the British psyche.
It is time for a change, to go forward from the bliss that was the last two weeks. We’ve seen what a difference it made, as so many people are saying how much better they felt and how seeing the ‘news’ on the first day back to normal felt like a slap in the face.
I’m with you and Scott.
Love your passion.
Trevor, thank you so for this Blog!
My random thoughts and feelings were all brought together after reading this, in a way that lifted me and gave me hope.
Knowing that there are special people like you who share what I think and feel, and that you Trevor, have the ability, capacity and resources to share this with others and resonate with others: to beat a drum loud and clear, a resounding drum that connects us all, gives me hope and fills me with pure joy!
What a fantastic blog…..Thank you.
As ever, so eloquently put Trevor.
As Niki says you are beating the drum loud and clear for all of us to step up and connect and see beyond the murky “reality” the press choose to create and indulge in.
We had so many lovely moments in our house, of cheering and anyone dropping by getting caught up in the excitement of whatever event was on at that moment. We were lucky enough to have the cycling coming through our town 3 times.
One of my sons started running and disappearing to his room to do some weights and the other one dragged himself away from his computer and begun cycling through Richmond park everyday.
I was truly inspired and only today used an olympic metaphor in a clients session.
An ex-olympic diving champion who’s name escapes me described diving as “meditation in motion” in that it couldn’t be thought through….only practised and rehearsed until it was second nature and the body knew what to do.
I
This post would do well to be published in the National Press. So very true and well observed. Thanks Trevor