More On Live8
Had a discussion with someone about how flawed live8 was.
Bob Geldof made it pretty clear that live8 was all about bringing "populist pressure" on a group of eight world leaders to make a difference --- to cancel Third World debt and to make global trade more fair. Geldof said he wasn't interested in our money --- he just wanted our voice.
Trouble is --- most of those people who went to a live8 concert was there for a big old party to see celebs for free.
If I had a discussion with Geldof, I'm pretty sure I know what he'll tell me --- that any money that could have been raised by the live8 concerts wouldn't have had any lasting impact on the lives of millions of dying Africans.
True.
But the money that could have been raised if we'd charged just one fucking dollar for every single wanker who showed up at a concert could have gone towards sending a kid to school.
Wasn't that what Brad Pitt was talking about in that Diane Sawyer interview? That we could send a kid to school on less than the cost of one cup of coffee?
Then why not do it?
Does Geldof REALLY think that all those millions of people out there at one of the concerts were there for the right reasons?
I don't have that much faith.
If I was organizing the event, I would have still been standing at the entrance, with my palm outstretched, asking for more than $1 a ticket and turned around and used it to build homes.
Sure, it wouldn't have been enough to stamp out poverty once and for all and it wouldn't have done anything to eradicate poverty in ALL of Africa --- no, that's the job of the G8 leaders when they meet three days from now. But the couple of million dollars that could have been raised? It would have made life a little bit better for a few people, at least.
Bob Geldof made it pretty clear that live8 was all about bringing "populist pressure" on a group of eight world leaders to make a difference --- to cancel Third World debt and to make global trade more fair. Geldof said he wasn't interested in our money --- he just wanted our voice.
Trouble is --- most of those people who went to a live8 concert was there for a big old party to see celebs for free.
If I had a discussion with Geldof, I'm pretty sure I know what he'll tell me --- that any money that could have been raised by the live8 concerts wouldn't have had any lasting impact on the lives of millions of dying Africans.
True.
But the money that could have been raised if we'd charged just one fucking dollar for every single wanker who showed up at a concert could have gone towards sending a kid to school.
Wasn't that what Brad Pitt was talking about in that Diane Sawyer interview? That we could send a kid to school on less than the cost of one cup of coffee?
Then why not do it?
Does Geldof REALLY think that all those millions of people out there at one of the concerts were there for the right reasons?
I don't have that much faith.
If I was organizing the event, I would have still been standing at the entrance, with my palm outstretched, asking for more than $1 a ticket and turned around and used it to build homes.
Sure, it wouldn't have been enough to stamp out poverty once and for all and it wouldn't have done anything to eradicate poverty in ALL of Africa --- no, that's the job of the G8 leaders when they meet three days from now. But the couple of million dollars that could have been raised? It would have made life a little bit better for a few people, at least.
7 Comments:
I agree with you. It would have been smart to sell the tickets for a $1 or more. I don't think that anyone there wouldn't have paid $1, $5, or even $20 because I know I would have. For the people that were there because they wanted to see celebs they would still have paid to see them because it was an awesome concert and still wicked cheap. And for the people who went to make a difference and be a part of this amazing experience they would have been more than happy to know that they helped someone. I understand that the purpose was to spread awareness and I really think that it did, I just wish that for all the hard work that people went through and for all the awareness they spread they could have physically helped someone. If there is a next time, maybe a cover charge of a buck will be thought of!!
I suggest that politicial operatives who want to create change actually meet with the kids going to these concerts. You could organize a grassroots movement to elect people into government and change things over a period of years. I think the government knows that if millions of people support the politicial ideas behind live 8 then its a different situation from say millions of people just going to a party who don't really care.
So where are the people who do care and why don't they use this event as a time to talk about politics? or business? or anything related to this set of issues in global change?
All Live8 does is brings millions of people into one place, its up to people to figure out how to handle the situation once this occurs.
Goodness, have people missed the boat on this one...
Live 8 is/was not flawed. I'm amazed at how little people know about what they have opinions on. Perhaps some of us need to do a little research before judging? I haven't the time to go through what I know about the grassroots intentions behind Live 8....what I do have time for is to suggest to people to be a little more informed about the issues and strategies involved before calling them flawed...
( charging any amount of money would mute the point of awareness here)...plus we're not talking about a few million bucks that Africa needs...were talking billions and beyond that, its about TRADE more the anything...
When musicians become politicians, they loose their message. Would anyone come if there was no music?
After 30 years as a teacher I would never tell a TV commentor how to tallk intelligentally on sports. It's a no brianer. Why do they think their rantings will result in action.
My budget does not allow me to do what I want to do because the money is not there.
Pause: Stop for a tune by Elton.
The end.
awareness was a primary objective. don't forget about the millions? watching the broadcasts- aol live online (mostly complete) or mtv (lame and fragmented). time-warner could have put it on several sattelite and cable channels, even mtv could have put on mtv2 and vh1. where does the money go anyhow from the mtv ads i wonder. dvd's are coming and apple already has two singles online for 99c ea.
Live 8 was an extreme disappointment to those of us in the world who have slow moving computers, and couldn't listen or watch the feed online, watching it on MTV was ridiculous as we saw only snippets of performances, it was mostly the hosts of the show giving their opinions of the show, which is annoying, or showing the crowd and what they thought...
It was an ABSOLUTE BORE-FEST...
I tuned in to see and hear some awesome music, from awesome bands, and was really let down,if this was a concert to reach millions/
billions, well I felt very left out, and I am sure I'm not the only one... Sorry, but this concert was not a topper to
Live Aid, it was a huge sad disappointment in my eyes...
I understand this concert was to
bring awareness to the issues of poverty, but at it's core it was
a CONCERT! Put together to be seen by hopefully more than half of the worlds population, and they failed in my opinion, the music that I did have the opportunity to hear and see was great, but I that's the point I'm trying to make, I didn't get to hear much, and I saw even less...
DKG said...
I was born in Uganda and if wasnt for a racist dictator it would have done very well economically. So get rid of your corrupt dictators.
BTW your statement "Alcohol will be consumed" is not correct as far as London is concerned. Attendes at the Hyde Park Concert were not allowed bring in alcohol.
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