Opinion | Thank God the flag-waving is over for the next 4 years

The 1980s pop star Morrissey provoked a flurry of outrage in the media last week when he condemned the "blustering jingoism" of London 2012, and described Britain as "foul with patriotism" following the country's success in the Olympics.

Now Morrissey is what the Reverend Spooner would undoubtedly have called "a shining wit", but on this occasion old misery-guts had a point.

For the British press and people suddenly to indulge themselves in an orgy of incontinent flag-flapping simply because the national team managed third place in the medal table - or fourth, depending how you score it - is not only distasteful, it is moronic.

As George Orwell wrote in his 1945 essay The Sporting Spirit: "At the international level sport is frankly mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behaviour of the players but the attitude of the spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe - at any rate for short periods - that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.

"There cannot be much doubt that the whole thing is bound up with the rise of nationalism - that is, with the lunatic modern habit of identifying oneself with large power units and seeing everything in terms of competitive prestige."

So, in the spirit of Orwell, let's have another look at that medal table, and work out whether the Brits - or anyone else - have any real reason to feel pleased with themselves.