What are we really supporting? That question came to mind last week when reading about the upcoming Summer Olympics in Bejing, China. There is much concern over this event, for a number of good reasons. China has some of the worst air pollution anywhere in the world, and they are currently trying to figure out how to clear the smog in time for the games. In addition, they are frequent violators of human rights laws, and they account for two-thirds of the world’s executions, according to Amnesty International. I have to wonder, when these games are going on, should we be participating?
This is a question for big government, and I honestly doubt that the United States will boycott the Beijing Olympics. But this situation does raise another important question, one that we do have some control over. In the course of our lives, we act in particular ways, buy certain products, and advocate views on a variety of topics. What is it that we are supporting, and it consistent with our own vision of who we want to be? By watching the Beijing Olympics, am I supporting all that is wrong with China?
Our choices shape us. You could argue that they define us. My own experience is that I don’t always represent myself in the way that I want to, but it’s often difficult to know how to get it right. For example, I don’t like that China is a gross polluter, that they don’t respect human rights, and that they kill people for trivial offenses. However, I do like the sense of global community associated with the Olympics, and I love watching athletes who have sacrificed so much just for the opportunity to compete. My favorites are those from tiny countries, sometimes representing their entire nation single-handedly. These athletes have to know that they aren’t going to win, but they still show up and do their very best. This is inspiring, and I’m not sure if I want to give up witnessing it because China has some practices that I don’t like very much.
I think that balance, to reference the Buddha, or moderation, to quote the ancient Greeks, has a role to play in helping us make good choices that reflect who we are. We have to choose between bad consequences and good consequences, seeking positive values despite the presence of negative ones and trying to know when the bad outweighs the good. I am a firm believer, despite my philosophical training or perhaps because of it, that reason is not the tool by which we make these choices. The British philosopher David Hume believed, and I agree, that reason is ultimately subservient to the passions. I contend that this is as it should be. Simply, listen to your heart. If something internal tells you to buy free-range chicken or turn off the Beijing Olympics, listen to that something. It is probably much smarter than your rational faculties could ever hope to be.
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