Ok, so I had a request to explain the Bob Geldof comment on my previous post.
For those who don't know, I was a huge supporter of Make Poverty History, I am also an activist and firm believer in the possibility of positive change, particularly in terms of wealth redistribution across the globe.
I also don't believe in blindly following the latest "in" thing and sadly, I feel the MPH became that last summer. When Live 8 came around I was forced to re-evaluate my position when I saw the mass-corporate involvement and read about the "gifts" that performers were presented with.
Then I heard that Bob Geldof refused to let any African performers appear at the main event in London, they were permitted short slots in Cornwall but that was about it.
Around Christmas time I also learned that Bob Geldof has been quoted as saying "Africa is not my agenda, it never has been." Or words to that effect. He does these publicity trips to Uganda and Ethiopia wearing an Armani suit and it makes me more than a little bit sick.
My eyes have been opened to the hypocrisy of the man.
I still believe that MPH was a truely ambitious and marvellous idea, and we did achieve some successes through it, but I also see that it was not motivated by pure idealism. There were many people and organisations involved purely for their own publicity and to make money off a popular idea.
I recommend for anyone who is truely passionate about addressing global poverty, human rights and learning more about the true world we live in to quickly subscribe to the New Internationalist. I have been a subscriber for about 5 years and it is the most educational and real magazine I have ever read. Check out their website http://www.newint.org but please subscribe to the printed magazine to support them financially.
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About Me
- Holly Lyne
- Politically motivated, ethically minded, spiritually heartened. My degree is finished!!!! I think that about covers it.
4 comments:
Yeah, I heard about the 'gifts' aswell. hmmm :|
One word of caution with the new internationalist - although it is an interesting and eye-openning read it is not generally given much cred in academic circles. My course deals with international poverty trends and ways of tackling these, but my lecturers always suggest taking the NI with a pinch of salt when engaging in academic debate. I recommend subscription to 'Critial Social Policy', 'Global Social Policy' or 'International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy' if you want an overview of the issues and need to speak with authority on them for whatever reason, i.e. promotional talks etc. NI is a good provocative piece of reading, but for more depth the above journals are great! i hope you don't mind me saying. I should go and take my own advice now....*skulks away*
t :)
(to readers)
oh, but keep buying it 'cause it funds relief efforts, lobbies gov (i think) and generally raises awareness of poverty issues. good stufff!
t :)
True, the NI is not an impartial source, but it's probably more accessible to most people than journals tend to be.
It covers a different issue each month in comprehensive feature aticles and usually provides some eye opening statistics.
I heard a lot of rumours about the Bob Geldof stuff but none of it has been proven so I'm not convinced.
I think I'm so cynical I'm cynical of the cynics.
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