Live8

Ghoulish Delight · 07-05-2005, 12:50 PM

Exactly.

http://www.live8live.com/

Bob Geldof, at the urge of someone else (I'm blanking right now on whom), organized "Live8", a series of concerts time to coincide with this week's G8 Summit in Scotland. There were 10 concerts around the world (Phily, London, Johanesberg, Barrie, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Eden Project, and Tokyo). Tickets were given out for free (some sort of lottery system). The motto has been, "in 2005 it is your voice we are after, not your money."

The goal has been to put pressure on the G8 countries to increase aid to Africa and to agree to debt relief for African nations.

Wonderful ideals, not sure if it reached enough people to make that voice loud enough.

wendybeth · 07-05-2005, 01:25 PM

I read this on Eric Alterman's blog the other day:

"This just in: I’m an idiot, I know, but I just figured out that Live 8 is not raising any money for famine relief or malaria cures or AIDS treatment in Africa. It is just designed to “pressure” G8 countries into doing what’s right. Thing is, guys, the G8 doesn’t, (and shouldn’t) care what Madonna, Elton John, U2, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, R.E.M., Coldplay, Bjork, Sting, Dido, Justin Timberlake, Green Day, Snoop Dogg, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Celine Dion, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill think about anything, particularly if they won’t put their own riches where their big mouths are. (Ditto Pitt, George Clooney, Will Smith, Natalie Portman and Salma Hayek.) I am in favor of harnessing the power of celebrity for global good but where’s the good in this? Good God, this is a moral crime. All that money available just for the asking—all those lives that could be saved by people who won’t miss the money--and these guys won’t even bother to ask? They won’t even allow charities to canvass the audience. Turns out the concert is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING but moral vanity, and the exploitation of starving, sick Africans, by pampered, rich as**oles and their self-interested corporate sponsors rather than their potential salvation. This is really unspeakably shameful. More from Richard Leiby here. Good for Bruce for staying away. (And I withdraw my more generous-minded comments yesterday and apologize for not doing the basic research before answering my correspondent’s question.)"

I am inclined to agree. While I've no doubt noble intentions were at play, it was mostly a self-serving show and could have been utilised far more effectively for other purposes, in other ways.

07-05-2005, 12:50 PM	#1
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Exactly. http://www.live8live.com/ Bob Geldof, at the urge of someone else (I'm blanking right now on whom), organized "Live8", a series of concerts time to coincide with this week's G8 Summit in Scotland. There were 10 concerts around the world (Phily, London, Johanesberg, Barrie, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Eden Project, and Tokyo). Tickets were given out for free (some sort of lottery system). The motto has been, "in 2005 it is your voice we are after, not your money." The goal has been to put pressure on the G8 countries to increase aid to Africa and to agree to debt relief for African nations. Wonderful ideals, not sure if it reached enough people to make that voice loud enough. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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07-05-2005, 01:25 PM	#2
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	I read this on Eric Alterman's blog the other day: "This just in: I’m an idiot, I know, but I just figured out that Live 8 is not raising any money for famine relief or malaria cures or AIDS treatment in Africa. It is just designed to “pressure” G8 countries into doing what’s right. Thing is, guys, the G8 doesn’t, (and shouldn’t) care what Madonna, Elton John, U2, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, R.E.M., Coldplay, Bjork, Sting, Dido, Justin Timberlake, Green Day, Snoop Dogg, P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Celine Dion, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill think about anything, particularly if they won’t put their own riches where their big mouths are. (Ditto Pitt, George Clooney, Will Smith, Natalie Portman and Salma Hayek.) I am in favor of harnessing the power of celebrity for global good but where’s the good in this? Good God, this is a moral crime. All that money available just for the asking—all those lives that could be saved by people who won’t miss the money--and these guys won’t even bother to ask? They won’t even allow charities to canvass the audience. Turns out the concert is NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING but moral vanity, and the exploitation of starving, sick Africans, by pampered, rich as**oles and their self-interested corporate sponsors rather than their potential salvation. This is really unspeakably shameful. More from Richard Leiby here. Good for Bruce for staying away. (And I withdraw my more generous-minded comments yesterday and apologize for not doing the basic research before answering my correspondent’s question.)" I am inclined to agree. While I've no doubt noble intentions were at play, it was mostly a self-serving show and could have been utilised far more effectively for other purposes, in other ways. __________________
	Submit to Quotes