The same thing seems to have happened in London 2012. Everyone there was very characteristically pessimistic about the games before they started, but after the Opening Ceremony, everyone was swept up in the grandeur and unity of the event, the sheer wondrous spectacle. Even the more pessimistic Brits I talked to during my year in the UK had very positive memories of the Games. In a real and non-sentimental way, the Games really can connect people to each other and to the culture and history of a place, at least for a few weeks.
The same thing seems to have happened in London 2012. Everyone there was very characteristically pessimistic about the games before they started, but after the Opening Ceremony, everyone was swept up in the grandeur and unity of the event, the sheer wondrous spectacle. Even the more pessimistic Brits I talked to during my year in the UK had very positive memories of the Games. In a real and non-sentimental way, the Games really can connect people to each other and to the culture and history of a place, at least for a few weeks.