One World, One Dream

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I was listening to Dispatches (with Rick MacInnes-Rae) on CBC radio recently and there was a segment on slogans in China. Apparently China is very keen on slogans - short aphorisms to instil good social and moral values and behaviour. Although, they are so widespread that people pretty much ignore them.

When a Chinese man was asked about the Olympic slogan for 2008, "One World, One Dream", he said he didn't like it. Why should there be only one dream. Why couldn't he dream his own dream?

I agree with him.

Image nabbed from here.

Comments

Mother of Invention said…
Technically, I agree with him too. But to buy into the Olympic frame of mind, which you have to or even peer into for awhile to understand the whole idea of the olmpics, I guess there are pretty similar dreams of every participant...although there may be some variations on a theme type thing. One could say to win...to train, to be a good sport,to go for personal best, to bring the world together under love of sport...guess you'd have to interview a lot of people to get a full range of thoughts from athletes as well as non-participants like us.
February 12, 2008 1:12 PM
Richard said…
MOI: I agree that it has a specific meaning within the context of the 2008 Olympics. However, I think his observation was from the context of a society which places high emphasis on slogans as a way of controlling people. I think we can all appreciate how sloganeering (in any context) is all about getting people to buy into it 100%, so that it is always foremost in your thoughts and instinctive.
February 13, 2008 10:33 AM
Ancilla said…
yep, i guess it is only for the Olympic.

and dreams is something which we always need, so there never can be only one dream for all...
February 15, 2008 4:16 AM
Richard said…
ancilla: I agree. I think the Chinese man simply saw it in the general context of slogans in China. And, of course, one of the problems is probably a very strong tendency to want to generalize the application of the slogan.
February 15, 2008 11:01 AM
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