JOHN CHUCKMAN COMMENT: A COLUMN VIRTUALLY DEFINING SHALLOWNESS SUGGESTS THE BRITISH LEFT EMBRACE THE FEEL-GOOD RAH-RAH NATIONALISM SEEN AT THE OLYMPICS

COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE BY SUZANNE MOORE IN THE GUARDIAN

Embracing nationalism is one of the dumbest things a people can do.

It is the root of so many genuine evils.

Indeed, the really sad thing about the modern Olympics is its great noise over nationalism. Flags, anthems, uniforms, blah blah blah.

And we should always remember that it was Mr Joseph Goebbels's work in the German Olympics of 1936 that created many of the "traditions" still embraced, such as the torch business.

H.G. Wells said it best: "Our true nationality is mankind."