Stuart’s Philosophies

I think a lot of people miss the point in the whole point in the controversy in the medals. If you want to be territorial, it’s simple. Who did what, and argue about the value of how much you sacrificed.

That’s silly. The argument will carry on for a thousand more years.

I truly believe that whatever is being said in the news now is probably far more exaggerated as people come in with their views. It’s unfortunately, no longer about whether the hard earned medals were from the sweat and tears of the athletes.

Let’s take this scenario and bring it to, say, the Ministry of Health. What say you to the people who sacrificed their lives in the SARS episode? Where are their medals?  How about the Ministry of Defence? What do you say to people who have had to go on missions?

At the end of the debate, some will say that it was uncalled for - that Tao Li’s comments were sour and people dislike it. At first glance, maybe the issue is the question of fairness rather than whether money should be given out.

See, she says that money should be spent on elite athletes. The officials say that there already is a contractual agreement. So, the problem is in the attitude towards money, and de-linking the medals with the request for more money spent on elite athletes. It doesn’t make sense to link the two.

You’ve already signed a contract. If you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t have the chance to see so much money. BUT if you want more money to train elite athletes, then you should consider a proper proposal and a clear compensation plan.

All this crying blame across different parts of the country or thinking someone is unfair only propagates the issue. Good athletes already have good focus - what exactly do you want? Will you breach the terms of a contract signed in good faith? Or will you honor the contract and find new ways to voice your opinion, and not turn into a public relations nightmare?

The quest for medals is not just a tally board. It’s an individuals quest for pride and meaning. The fact you can contribute at this level of physical and mental excellence rewards itself. But if it turns into a street brawl about who is fair and who has put in effort… come on. Everyone’s put in effort. Everyone’s going to think they are the most fair. Stop thinking at the level that exacerbates the issue. Consider other factors and listen to what is really being said (or not being said, since most of the problem lies in the assumptions of the words being spoken)!

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