Some people here and on X have expressed outrage at parts of the opening ceremony of the Olympics in France.

As someone who is both natively French and a "global citizen" (lived on four continents, visited 50 countries, expat for nearly 20 years), I wanted to share my dual perspective. My goal is not to pass judgment on Friday's performance, but rather set the cultural context in which it was delivered. So, don't shoot the messenger. Also, references are annotated in brackets like this: [i] for further reading at the end.

The TL;DR is that the French brand of secularism (laïcité) is unique, highly idiosyncratic, and part of the core identity of the French republic; it's understandable that it does not translate well to an international audience.

Now, onto the 🧵: 1/9

Good explanations.

I am a little baffled at how offended people get. I understand not liking something, but getting this offended? 

Grow up, live and let live, enjoy living in a world with freedom of expression. Freedom good.

Building https://srcbook.com // creator of the https://blockchainsmokers.xyz 

This is a snowflake analysis. Oh you don’t think something is beautiful? Boohoo, art has always had provocative parts, and is subjective anyway. Just dislike it and move on.

There was plenty of burlesque and provocative art in the era of davinci. It can coexist with fine art.

The person saying this literally has a crypto punk as a PFP, which is not davinci level yet really fun? Incoherent position probably based on politics

https://x.com/rivatez/status/1817422782109540615

I thought it was pretty pitch perfect from what I saw when I was in Paris and that's what these performances are supposed to be, a reflection of the host country. Not a visit to the Eiffel tower gift shop. The fact that this is igniting a firestorm of pearl clutching seems about as French as you can get. Ha ha carry on my frens.

france, please, read the room for once 🤦‍♂️ 

purest fuel to antiwestern propaganda so successful here in central europe.

Absurd that people got mad. Maybe it was a bit tacky at times, but this is how a pluralistic society with individual expression makes a ceremony.