From the Opening Ceremony alone it is obvious that symbolist in the Olympic Games is very important. This was shown by the mass media and it is obvious if we make a comparative chart of the different symbols that are projected each time in each set of Games and the way they are done but also the sociopolitical conditions relevant for each time.
In the Beijing Games it is very interesting that the centre of the symbolisms was comprised by the symbol for Peace (the dove/ pigeon) which was followed always by the symbol for hunting (eagle). It is known that doves/pigeons are pray to eagles. It is also known that the eagle represents a specific country (and specific ideologies) in contrast with the dove/pigeon which is linked to a global idea.
So what does the symbolism of the Beijing Olympics tell us based on the order of presentations of the symbols and the concepts/ countries that they represent?
The order was as follows: appearance of the dove/pigeon – dissolving of the dove/pigeon- appearance of the eagle – change of frame and scene before the eagle is dissolved (so that its dissolving is not shown as it would be normal since people were forming it).
Therefore we have: appearance of peace, which is global in its symbol but also the wishes of the Peoples- dissolving of peace- appearance of hunting which eats peace and therefore is equal to war, through a symbol that is not global but representative only of the countries that have it, great empires throughout the ages as well as totalitarian and very violent ideological schemas- those scheams/ empires/ countries do not dissolve but remain in essence (since the symbol always symbolizes the essence and not the details).
The above is not catastrophizing as is obvious by the eruption of the war between Russia and Georgia in parallel to the Olympics, right after the Opening Ceremony (first level of symbolism) but also the general situation globally as far as war and peace and financial empires preying on all the countries (secondary, wider level of symbolism).