Malaysians offended by Dionysus segment during Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony call it “bad art”

 

THE opening ceremony at the Paris Olympics 2024 had barely concluded when keyboard warriors began extolling their two cents’ worth.

As is frequently the norm on social media, there is seemingly more negative than positive.

This prompted moderator of the popular Malaysian Education Info (And Homeschooling Too) forum on Facebook to posit that too many were quick to find flaws and to dismiss the opening ceremony as poor and lacklustre.

He also lamented how many comments from Malaysians seems to reflect the current divide between the “liberals” and “conservatives”.

Chong Sim Chung also observed that many had misinterpreted a segment of the parade as alluding to the Last Supper when it was depicting Dionysus – a figure from Greek mythology.

This segment of the opening ceremony has sparked furore among Christians worldwide, not just here. That “performance” also featured drag queens and its purported message of “inclusivity” did not sit well with many netizens.

The post has sparked a lively debate on the forum so much so that the administrator had to disable the comments function to avoid things getting too heated and/or ugly.

Many took umbrage at the “Dionysus/Last Supper” segment, refusing to accept the official pronouncement from the Games organisers that it was not meant to offend any particular religious group.

One netizen highlighted that the opening ceremony was being watched by all age groups and this segment raised uncomfortable and awkward questions for parents.

He insinuated that content should be age-appropriate, using Malaysia’s own experience of hosting the Commonwealth Games in 1998 as an example.

More than a few were completely unimpressed by this “artistic” display and said “art” was just a convenient label for the organisers to hide behind.

One netizen put it down as a typically “wonky idea” by the French.

The flow of the opening ceremony was also called into question.

Some sought to have a more balanced perspective.

But the overall verdict from netizens on this forum was damning.

Now that the opening ceremony is behind us, there are a few things that need to be highlighted.

Firstly, frank discussions and civil debate on the issue is to be encouraged. Malaysians need to learn to agree to disagree, especially when it comes to “sensitive topics”.

If anything, the “Dionysus/Last Supper” segment – at the very least – provided a platform for netizens to engage on the matter.

Secondly, there must be greater awareness of other cultural values. For some societies, there is no such thing as “sacred cows” and anything and everything is up to be challenged. These includes royalty, politicians and yes, even religion.

The French have deeply rooted traditions of free speech and freedom of expression as well as rights that were fought for in bitter revolutions. This is on top of France being notoriously steadfast in keeping the state strictly secular.

Thirdly, FocusM would like to remind everyone that the primary reason Malaysia is there is the pursuit of sporting glory. So let us all get behind our athletes! – Focus Malaysia