Olympics/Terrorism: Trump Dance

[Abishai100]

This is a sports-culture vignette in honor of the upcoming Winter Olympics (South Korea) and the recent underdog-victory of the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) in Super Bowl 52 [February 4, 2018].

This vignette was inspired by Munich.

Cheers,






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As the Winter Olympics in South Korea approached in February 2018, people were still thinking about the incredible underdog-victory by the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) over the seemingly-indomitable New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52. The world was also pensive about U.S. President Donald Trump's dealings with the nuclear-test crisis involving the problematic nation of North Korea during Labor Day weekend 2017. South Korea was a stable democratic trading-partner of America, while North Korea remained a hotbed, so the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea had people remembering the Munich Massacre at the Summer Olympics in 1972! Old ghosts were rising to the surface...so what would CNN say?



Fortunately, there were plenty of 'exciting sports stories' being generated ahead of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Olympic strong-horse Lindsey Vonn (USA) was expected to win multiple gold-medals for her country in skiing events, and Nathan Chen (USA) was considered a promising gold-medal contender in figure-skating. Fans were cheering for their nations and teams, and Russian athletes were even allowed to compete after enduring a doping-allegations related ban from the Sochi Games. Furthermore, Kosovo was sending its first-ever athletic delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Would Lindsey Vonn be the new Barbie?



After 9/11, the world was tense about terrorism at public events which made social monuments (e.g., Sydney Opera House) feel 'unsafe.' How would the Winter Olympics in South Korea fare? The victory of the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) generated some nice media attention and fanfare-related merchandising for Americans, so would the Winter Olympics offer anti-terrorism related sports-fanfare consumerism giddiness? Would Lindsey Vonn dolls be the new rave in South Korea? How would U.S. President Donald Trump deal with post-9/11 angst as he continued to address the concerns of hotbed-nation North Korea?



One society-critic suggested that modern globalization, like colonialization/exploration from the early days of the New World, was being 'complicated' by anti-progress profiteers and pirates. Who would be the new diplomats of social networking and culture-exchange? Of course, colonialization yielded all forms of racism, so would finance-paranoia related globalization in the modern age yield more forms of anti-progress minded anti-capitalism terrorism (e.g., ISIS)? President Trump worried about the symbolic impact of the murder of 300 Sufi Muslims in an Egyptian mosque on Black Friday (the annual 'shopping-day' following Thanksgiving in America!) by the terrorist-organization ISIS. Was the world facing a real Babylon-like imaginary 'global' dark-city?



TRUMP: The Winter Olympics (South Korea) gives me heartburn.
GOD: Welcome to politics, Donald...
TRUMP: I hate my life; I thought this would be like Atlantic City!
GOD: No. The world wants you to be a genius with the World Bank.
TRUMP: No one cares about the World Bank...
GOD: Then, that's your real challenge!
TRUMP: I fear North Korea will do something incredibly stupid.
GOD: Stupid...or dangerous?
TRUMP: Both!
GOD: You must keep pace with North Korea through the Olympics.
TRUMP: This might be like Labor Day 2017 all over again...
GOD: At least the underdog Eagles(!) won the Super Bowl.
TRUMP: Who cares? Brady/Patriots will win again (no doubt) next year.
GOD: Use the cheers of the masses to catalyse progressive treaties.
TRUMP: Maybe Olympics-merchandising can create 'mercantile optimism.'
GOD: You have to determine what the world yearns from North Korea!

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[Abishai100]

Opening Ceremony: Parade of Smiles(!)



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"I hate the opening ceremony. It's all ceremony. Nothing of substance."

"Not true. The opening ceremony is a showcase of humanity's intentions to peacefully compete."

"Maybe you're correct. I like watching the ceremony...with the right glass of Scotch!"

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[Abishai100]

A Message from Vega

Olympics enthusiasm should generate some nice 'humorous chatter.'

This is the real challenge of the Trump Administration, no?

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Vega was a humanoid alien who landed on Earth after 9/11 to analyse humanity's peculiar fascination with terrorism(!). Vega was a perfect-warrior with blades protruding from his fists. He wore a metal mask and loose pants and was incredibly agile. He was also a telepath who could manipulate brain-waves. Vega was a real oddity, and he understood that human history was filled with complex links between terrorism and fascism (e.g., Nazi Germany).



Vega sent a message to Earth during the Winter Olympics in South Korea [2018]. He wanted humans to be conscious of the fact that commerce had catalysed great anticipation for the Olympics in South Korea while neglecting the lingering pseudo-fascism concerns in neighboring North Korea and the nation's insistence on carrying out controversial nuclear missile tests, much to the dismay of U.S. President Donald Trump. Vega posted a collage of fascism 'uniforms' on the World Wide Web and challenged humanity to defy the urge to destroy in the name of politics!



TRUMP: You don't understand humanity...
VEGA: I see that your politics is commerce-based.
TRUMP: Not always, but that is the 'dream.'
VEGA: How does Wall Street promote this dream?
TRUMP: We work with South Korea to ensure peaceful trade.
VEGA: What about North Korea?
TRUMP: We are trying to forge important negotiations.
VEGA: I remember the nuclear-missile tests during Labor Day [2017].
TRUMP: That was the first 'real' challenge of my Presidency, Vega!
VEGA: I agree. Maybe the Olympics should be likened to Sinn Feinn.
TRUMP: Maybe it should! We're not there yet, cool dude...
VEGA: Alright. As long as you're trying, Mr. Trump!
TRUMP: Return in peace, my friend.
VEGA: Stay warm.

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[Abishai100]

Terrorism: Tendrils of Leviathan


The word 'leviathan' refers to a metaphysical sea-beast (or water-dragon) of chaos and has been referenced by theologians and philosophers alike to talk about uncertainty, chaos, and unpredictability.

The 1989 sci-fi horror film Leviathan (borrowing the term colloquially) presents the story of undersea miners encountering a terrifying mutating underwater genetic-abomination that gorges and merges with the flesh of its human victims to increase in strength (and size!).

Can we use the term 'leviathan' to talk about globalization-destabilizing terrorism? I think we can!


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TRUMP: Modern terrorism is a 'leviathan.'
CARTER: That's what Hobbes and Rousseau might say!
TRUMP: Yes, both those philosophers analysed social contracts.
CARTER: Yes, governments seek self-improvement and sometimes 'implode.'
TRUMP: Case-in-point --- the Soviet Union.
CARTER: Precisely. Revolutionaries are sometimes considered 'terrorists.'
TRUMP: Methodology and intention are important features.
CARTER: When governments criminalize 'freedom-fighters,' terrorism is perjury.
TRUMP: What about the James Bond villain Goldfinger (terrorist?)?
CARTER: Goldfinger was a robber and baron and power-schemer.
TRUMP: What's the difference between, say, Goldfinger and Osama bin Laden?
CARTER: Goldfinger cared less about political outcomes --- he was more 'nihilist.'
TRUMP: Perhaps 'leviathan' can refer to both nihilism and 'mad-science.'
CARTER: I think the goal of the modern 'politician' is to understand change.
TRUMP: The lessons from the Munich Massacre (1972 Summer Olympics) reveal insanity.
CARTER: Comic books present 'super-villains' (e.g., Toyman) who symbolize disarray.

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