Beware the Hoodwinked Idealist

Avery Brundage's actions in 1934 can be interpreted in two ways: as a misguided idealist blinded by the belief that the Olympics should remain separate from political influence, or as someone who found an unsettling familiarity in his engagement with the Nazis. While some might view Brundage as a naïve figure, believing in the sanctity of sports, his behavior may also reflect a deeper complicity with fascist ideologies, aligning with concepts described in Dorothy Thompson's characterization of individuals who gravitate towards authoritarianism.