4 ms·

like Olympics, f1, world cup, TED, etc etc. it was 5bi spent for entertainment. Just like lots of other billions are everywhere in the world. just because it

by gcb0 9y ago

like Olympics, f1, world cup, TED, etc etc. it was 5bi spent for entertainment. Just like lots of other billions are everywhere in the world. just because it was in a country you perceive as poor and failed it shocks you. yeah, it probably had corruption and half that money disappeared, just like on the rich events I listed above. But, this is the same mentality that demonize food stamps and social programs for the poor in your rich country that are not 100% focused on making those poor people complacent and effective workers. (ps: "you" used as in the undefined plural subject form. I don't know the person I'm replying :)

Jedd 9y ago
> like Olympics, f1, world cup, TED, etc etc. It's disingenuous to claim that I lump those in the same category. Let's focus on my 'more for show than for benefit' qualification. > it was 5bi spent for entertainment. Just like lots of other billions are everywhere in the world. Do you mean 'just like other billions everywhere else spent on entertainment' or 'just like other billions everywhere else spent'. I'm not sure you're accurately reflecting my views by suggesting that I think entertainment has equal value to non-entertainment activities. > just because it was in a country you perceive as poor and failed it shocks you. Yeah, so stop right there. I was working for the treasury department for NSW at the time that we were gearing up for the Sydney Olympics (later re-branded the NSW Olympics (later re-branded, as funding was sought further up the chain, as the Australian Olympics). There's nothing imperial, us-or-them, poor-vs-rich country about this. Take that particular card off the table. > But, this is the same mentality that demonize food stamps and social programs for the poor in your rich country that are not 100% focused on making those poor people complacent and effective workers. It really, really, is not.
- gcb0 9y ago
  you kind of proved my point. I do lump all those events in the same bag and my point was that most people fail to see it and see the ones they like as culturally enriching and the ones they don't fancy as waste. the only problem on the article's event was lack of public. but I bet lots of local people wanted to go but lacked the means. just like the Olympics. but it doesn't show much because the Olympics manages to import rich foreigners just fine.
  - Jedd 9y ago
    > you kind of proved my point. That was not my intent. > I do lump all those events in the same bag and my point was that most people fail to see it and see the ones they like as culturally enriching and the ones they don't fancy as waste. Are you genuinely suggesting TFA describes a non-wasteful event?
  - totalZero 9y ago
    How did anyone prove your point? You are just repeating yourself to claim that there are two voices in agreement.
- Cyph0n 9y ago
  Care to elaborate why you think Expo is less beneficial than the events listed in the comment you replied to?
  - Jedd 9y ago
    There are more than two categories. Grading the set objectively seems infeasible, and not very useful. I've lived in two cities as they hosted Olympics, but didn't attend either. I've been to a world expo. I've not been to a world cup or an F1 event (though I once worked in an office overlooking the F1). I think this Expo was a waste of resources. I suspect most TED conferences are not. I understand that Olympics, World Cup, F1 are highly lucrative for a handful of people, but typically a net negative for the host city / state. The corruption associated with at least two of those three is legendary, and well documented. If you would prefer to separate 'the event' from 'the corruption involved in the event', then good luck with that.
Bakary 9y ago
The point is more along the lines that the money was grossly misspent in this particular case, not that it being spent on entertainment is necessarily bad. Had the Expo been a massive success, it would still have arguably been a waste, but not a tragic one. Here the failure is especially glaring since the secondary goal of the event is to make the nation look dynamic and well managed.
hkmurakami 9y ago
Or even public financing of NFL stadiums.

by gcb0 9y ago

Jedd 9y ago

> like Olympics, f1, world cup, TED, etc etc. It's disingenuous to claim that I lump those in the same category. Let's focus on my 'more for show than for benefit' qualification. > it was 5bi spent for entertainment. Just like lots of other billions are everywhere in the world. Do you mean 'just like other billions everywhere else spent on entertainment' or 'just like other billions everywhere else spent'. I'm not sure you're accurately reflecting my views by suggesting that I think entertainment has equal value to non-entertainment activities. > just because it was in a country you perceive as poor and failed it shocks you. Yeah, so stop right there. I was working for the treasury department for NSW at the time that we were gearing up for the Sydney Olympics (later re-branded the NSW Olympics (later re-branded, as funding was sought further up the chain, as the Australian Olympics). There's nothing imperial, us-or-them, poor-vs-rich country about this. Take that particular card off the table. > But, this is the same mentality that demonize food stamps and social programs for the poor in your rich country that are not 100% focused on making those poor people complacent and effective workers. It really, really, is not.

gcb0 9y ago
you kind of proved my point. I do lump all those events in the same bag and my point was that most people fail to see it and see the ones they like as culturally enriching and the ones they don't fancy as waste. the only problem on the article's event was lack of public. but I bet lots of local people wanted to go but lacked the means. just like the Olympics. but it doesn't show much because the Olympics manages to import rich foreigners just fine.
- Jedd 9y ago
  > you kind of proved my point. That was not my intent. > I do lump all those events in the same bag and my point was that most people fail to see it and see the ones they like as culturally enriching and the ones they don't fancy as waste. Are you genuinely suggesting TFA describes a non-wasteful event?
- totalZero 9y ago
  How did anyone prove your point? You are just repeating yourself to claim that there are two voices in agreement.
Cyph0n 9y ago
Care to elaborate why you think Expo is less beneficial than the events listed in the comment you replied to?
- Jedd 9y ago
  There are more than two categories. Grading the set objectively seems infeasible, and not very useful. I've lived in two cities as they hosted Olympics, but didn't attend either. I've been to a world expo. I've not been to a world cup or an F1 event (though I once worked in an office overlooking the F1). I think this Expo was a waste of resources. I suspect most TED conferences are not. I understand that Olympics, World Cup, F1 are highly lucrative for a handful of people, but typically a net negative for the host city / state. The corruption associated with at least two of those three is legendary, and well documented. If you would prefer to separate 'the event' from 'the corruption involved in the event', then good luck with that.

Bakary 9y ago

The point is more along the lines that the money was grossly misspent in this particular case, not that it being spent on entertainment is necessarily bad. Had the Expo been a massive success, it would still have arguably been a waste, but not a tragic one. Here the failure is especially glaring since the secondary goal of the event is to make the nation look dynamic and well managed.

hkmurakami 9y ago

Or even public financing of NFL stadiums.