Post by gareth on Jul 3, 2005 22:17:50 GMT
Well, I do have to come back to the issued I raised here. In a recent news item, Bob Geldof said that it is now up to the politicians assembling at Gleneagles to take decisions to do away with poverty.
Frankly - I find that approach utterly simplistic. No matter what decisions the politicians take next week at Gleneagles, 20 years from now there will undoubtedly as much (if not more) poverty than today. And then to blame the politicians for unwillingness to do something structural about poverty - that's nothing more than finding a convenient scapegoat.
I have grave doubts about the population of the Western world being prepared to make substantial and permanent sacrifices for the benefit of the poverty-stricken nations in Africa.
Hypocrisy? Yes, I think that Bob Geldof putting the blame on the polliticians shoulders is hypocritical. He should be putting the blame not just on the politicians, but on the western population as a whole. And that includes Sir Bob Geldof.
And so, millions of people are expected to turn up at Gleneagles soon. Have those millions of people stopped to think about the damage they themselves cause to the earth's environment, by the unnecessary amount of energy required for them traveliing to Scotland? Have those same millions of people stopped to think about the cost of the clean-up operation after they have left Gleneagles (having discarded tons of rubbish in the environment in the process)?
Putting it bluntly - I think that people who decide NOT to go to Gleneagles to protest next week are more sincere than the mob that will turn up there demanding action from politicians. Undoubtedly, that mob will turn home satisfied they have done their bit for the survival of the planet by telling those politicians fair and proper to go and do something.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating though. That mob will find out that the pudding will be lacking taste when it dawns on them they will have to pay for the cost of the pudding themselves.
Thanks - but I am getting more and more inclined to the wish that after this series of concerts, Bob Geldof will retire. I don't think the Live 8 concept will result in any noticeable difference for the poverty-stricken nations in Africa. I think Bob Geldof is barking up the wrong tree.
Poverty in Africa won't be solved by a series of concerts and swipes at Western politicians for not wanting to do enough. There are far too many other issues involved - and Live 8 is sweeping those under the carpet.
Gerrit
Frankly - I find that approach utterly simplistic. No matter what decisions the politicians take next week at Gleneagles, 20 years from now there will undoubtedly as much (if not more) poverty than today. And then to blame the politicians for unwillingness to do something structural about poverty - that's nothing more than finding a convenient scapegoat.
I have grave doubts about the population of the Western world being prepared to make substantial and permanent sacrifices for the benefit of the poverty-stricken nations in Africa.
Hypocrisy? Yes, I think that Bob Geldof putting the blame on the polliticians shoulders is hypocritical. He should be putting the blame not just on the politicians, but on the western population as a whole. And that includes Sir Bob Geldof.
And so, millions of people are expected to turn up at Gleneagles soon. Have those millions of people stopped to think about the damage they themselves cause to the earth's environment, by the unnecessary amount of energy required for them traveliing to Scotland? Have those same millions of people stopped to think about the cost of the clean-up operation after they have left Gleneagles (having discarded tons of rubbish in the environment in the process)?
Putting it bluntly - I think that people who decide NOT to go to Gleneagles to protest next week are more sincere than the mob that will turn up there demanding action from politicians. Undoubtedly, that mob will turn home satisfied they have done their bit for the survival of the planet by telling those politicians fair and proper to go and do something.
The proof of the pudding will be in the eating though. That mob will find out that the pudding will be lacking taste when it dawns on them they will have to pay for the cost of the pudding themselves.
Thanks - but I am getting more and more inclined to the wish that after this series of concerts, Bob Geldof will retire. I don't think the Live 8 concept will result in any noticeable difference for the poverty-stricken nations in Africa. I think Bob Geldof is barking up the wrong tree.
Poverty in Africa won't be solved by a series of concerts and swipes at Western politicians for not wanting to do enough. There are far too many other issues involved - and Live 8 is sweeping those under the carpet.
Gerrit
