Live 8. A Manufactured "Solution" to a Devastatingly Real Problem.
Bob Geldof has a God complex.
According to Sir Bob, the extraordinarily multifaceted human tragedy that shapes so many of the countries in Africa can be addressed by the G8 countries, but only if a bunch of musical celebrities push people to sign a petition.
Geez, why didn't Kofi Annan think of that?
So "the event" has taken place, the biggest global rock concert in history is now a memory. The participants can feel good about doing their part to help. They can go back to their star-studded lives of wealth and privilege and pat themselves on the back for sharing their talents for yet another good cause.
And every 3.6 seconds, another person on the continent of Africa dies of starvation.
The world has a responsibility to help those countries most in need. It is a complicated and demanding process, and yes, the G8 countries: Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States have a greater responsibility than most. That being said, however; the myriad of evils: poverty, racism, AIDS and war that are the root causes of the disastrous state of Africa, will not end simply by canceling debt and sending financial aid. That's been done before, and it was not successful. The only way Africa will heal from its devastation is if it is the will of Africans. Well-meaning but naive musicians like Bob Geldof and Bono cannot and will not change Africa's reality. The world can provide money to back programs and facilitate education, but until it becomes important to Africa's leaders to save their people from disease, hunger, poverty and violence, nothing will change. Handouts cannot go on forever, and they really have little impact on the problems anyway. Making huge pronouncements about ending poverty creates terrific sound bites, but until there is a fundamental change in the thinking of every single citizen in every African nation, the status quo will go on.
Does Bob Geldof truly believe that a rock concert has made one iota of difference to the men, women and children who are living daily with pain, fear and hopelessness? Does he think that a bunch of celebrities will affect change that the United Nations has not been able to?
In the lead-up media frenzy to Live 8, the world was told, repeatedly, that this was an event we would remember forever, we would always be able to recall where we were and what we were doing on July 2, 2005.
Why, because Bob Geldof says so? Not good enough. I don't worship at the alter of the cult of celebrity. I believe the people of Africa hold the key to the survival of the continent, and I put my faith in them.
According to Sir Bob, the extraordinarily multifaceted human tragedy that shapes so many of the countries in Africa can be addressed by the G8 countries, but only if a bunch of musical celebrities push people to sign a petition.
Geez, why didn't Kofi Annan think of that?
So "the event" has taken place, the biggest global rock concert in history is now a memory. The participants can feel good about doing their part to help. They can go back to their star-studded lives of wealth and privilege and pat themselves on the back for sharing their talents for yet another good cause.
And every 3.6 seconds, another person on the continent of Africa dies of starvation.
The world has a responsibility to help those countries most in need. It is a complicated and demanding process, and yes, the G8 countries: Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States have a greater responsibility than most. That being said, however; the myriad of evils: poverty, racism, AIDS and war that are the root causes of the disastrous state of Africa, will not end simply by canceling debt and sending financial aid. That's been done before, and it was not successful. The only way Africa will heal from its devastation is if it is the will of Africans. Well-meaning but naive musicians like Bob Geldof and Bono cannot and will not change Africa's reality. The world can provide money to back programs and facilitate education, but until it becomes important to Africa's leaders to save their people from disease, hunger, poverty and violence, nothing will change. Handouts cannot go on forever, and they really have little impact on the problems anyway. Making huge pronouncements about ending poverty creates terrific sound bites, but until there is a fundamental change in the thinking of every single citizen in every African nation, the status quo will go on.
Does Bob Geldof truly believe that a rock concert has made one iota of difference to the men, women and children who are living daily with pain, fear and hopelessness? Does he think that a bunch of celebrities will affect change that the United Nations has not been able to?
In the lead-up media frenzy to Live 8, the world was told, repeatedly, that this was an event we would remember forever, we would always be able to recall where we were and what we were doing on July 2, 2005.
Why, because Bob Geldof says so? Not good enough. I don't worship at the alter of the cult of celebrity. I believe the people of Africa hold the key to the survival of the continent, and I put my faith in them.
posted by Alphamutt at 7:19 PM
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