In terms of sheer spectacle, the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing stood far above any Olympics that had come before it. Everything about the Beijing games was exaggerated. Some aspects, like the fantastically opulent opening ceremonies and the beautifully designed center stadium (known colloquially as the Bird’s Nest), made the 2008 Games feel like a wonderfully choreographed ballet showing what can be accomplished when people unite behind a singular goal. Other facets of the games, such as the human rights that were sacrificed for the completion of these endeavors, paint the extravagance in a bleaker light.