I share Richards’s lack of ‘patriotism’ if by that is meant the unthinking following of national sports teams.

I hadn’t heard the egregious term ‘Team GB’ before, and am a little disappointed to have learned it via this site of all places. Like many of the best (ie worst) advertising slogans, it is now impossible to unlearn. I have seen none of the Olympics, and have no idea who is winning what: I genuinely don’t care. Living in the countryside and not owning a television set helps.

I delighted in Richard’s earlier faux-Chinese sagacity: ‘In my country it is well known that one man can run faster than another’ (whilst a long beard is stroked, no doubt). Or as perhaps Private Eye might report: ‘Shock news! One man runs faster than another!’

Comment 14 by Mr DArcy
Probably, I'm the most unpatriotic of all of you. "Countries" are political constructs.

Indeed so. Perhaps it is time the world grew out of its tribalistic obsession with nationhood.

But perhaps that is easy for me to say, having won, as I did, First Prize in the lottery of life. :)