Post by Collie on Jul 2, 2005 15:23:59 GMT
Good grief.
Live8 fever is well and truly alive today. REM are currently boring the crowd, and Michael Stipe looks like a complete nob-head.
It's a great cause, that I have no doubt of, but shitting-bananas, it's the 'experts' and 'deeply concerned' masses that keep preaching the Live 8 bollocks that pisses me off.
Here's an example of these lovely, well thought out messages spamming the net today.
"50,000 people die in Africa everyday.
We have the ability to stop it.
We have drugs to cure diseases.
We can dig wells to produce clean water.
We can save lives.
Make your wish to help them known.
Sign this list:
www.live8live.com/list/
This list shall be sent to the leaders of the G8 nations. Put pressure on them to save lives"
Sounds great. But if we give them drugs and fresh water, that will increase their life expectancy, lower infant mortality rates, and cause further explosions of populations that these countries cannot simply afford to have. Lets all create millions more unfed and starving children so Sir Bob the Great can get all fussy and shouty about again. GENIUS IDEA.
Anyway, it's not up to members of G8 or us to do all these things to 'save' Africans. As an African actor on TV yesterday was saying, give Africans some credit for looking out for themselves. At the end of the day, you cannot interfere with just good intentions and hope to fix a problem. They have the real work to do. Perhaps with our governments help, we can help them learn to use contraceptives, to avoid other health risks, and maybe reduce some of their debts. But then it's down to their governments and the people themselves to dig themselves out.
I find it a little offensive to forever read how 'we' need to save lives. Seldom, if ever, 'Help Africans save their own lives'. Well unless it's Oxfam preaching.
If I hear one more well intentioned twat go on about giving a few drugs or coins or signing some petition will make a difference, I'll throw a brick at their face.
Live8 fever is well and truly alive today. REM are currently boring the crowd, and Michael Stipe looks like a complete nob-head.
It's a great cause, that I have no doubt of, but shitting-bananas, it's the 'experts' and 'deeply concerned' masses that keep preaching the Live 8 bollocks that pisses me off.
Here's an example of these lovely, well thought out messages spamming the net today.
"50,000 people die in Africa everyday.
We have the ability to stop it.
We have drugs to cure diseases.
We can dig wells to produce clean water.
We can save lives.
Make your wish to help them known.
Sign this list:
www.live8live.com/list/
This list shall be sent to the leaders of the G8 nations. Put pressure on them to save lives"
Sounds great. But if we give them drugs and fresh water, that will increase their life expectancy, lower infant mortality rates, and cause further explosions of populations that these countries cannot simply afford to have. Lets all create millions more unfed and starving children so Sir Bob the Great can get all fussy and shouty about again. GENIUS IDEA.
Anyway, it's not up to members of G8 or us to do all these things to 'save' Africans. As an African actor on TV yesterday was saying, give Africans some credit for looking out for themselves. At the end of the day, you cannot interfere with just good intentions and hope to fix a problem. They have the real work to do. Perhaps with our governments help, we can help them learn to use contraceptives, to avoid other health risks, and maybe reduce some of their debts. But then it's down to their governments and the people themselves to dig themselves out.
I find it a little offensive to forever read how 'we' need to save lives. Seldom, if ever, 'Help Africans save their own lives'. Well unless it's Oxfam preaching.
If I hear one more well intentioned twat go on about giving a few drugs or coins or signing some petition will make a difference, I'll throw a brick at their face.
love bug
