Live 8 | Skeptical?

[aquabelic]

Skeptcial Critism:

I am talking about Live 8, as the main idea of it.
The slogan for the evet is that no money is asked for.
The point of the event is to spread "awareness" about the problems of poverty mainly in Africa.

Okay,
How will awareness and no funding help poverty?
Are we suppose to help the hungry mentally?

Yes I am aware of the poverty problem?

No, they are not asking anything from me.

So where is this going?

I think it would be better if the event was funded by the fans, then it would actually help.

Yout opinions?

:imu:

 

[bliink]

I thought they were selling tickets?

 

[Raxxman]

Tickets were free, artists were being paid nothing.


However their back catalogue sales are expected to sharply rise so it's hardly a loss for them.

I'm somewhat sceptical myself, but I'll wait till the G8 summit finishes

 

[Hectic Glenn]

You text for tickets and a portion of that money which didn't go to the telecommunications companies went to charity.

The main point of Live 8 was to raise to issue in front of the 8 most powerful men in the world meeting in the G8 summit in Edinburgh, with the aim that they will increase aid and fix the problem of poverty there of a child dying every 3 seconds. Since the problem was recognised and live aid helped out its returned again. So thats the point of it, i can't actually believe the amount of people unaware of this...and some certain people i have talked to who dont actually care as 'it doesnt effect them' Jesus christ makes me sick.

 

[Earl Danish]

LIVE8 - purpose: to quell the herd ahead of the G8 summit. (not that they need it)

 

[Dr. Freeman]

i was going to make a thread on the issues i have with Live 8 but this seems like a perfect thread for it.
now i have no problems with celebrities using their status to help out third world countries where the basic neccessities of life are a life and death situation.

as the very first post of this thread points out, are the organizers of this event doing enough to help those people out? well by not charging some amount of money, they aren't helping nearly as much...but u know what? this isn't even my main point.

my main point is (and let me say that someone else here made it first in another thread...wish i could remember who it was) that ridding these third world countries of such problems is going to take way more money and commitment than anyone involved with Live 8 probably willing to show.

erasing debt for these countries is a short term fix and if other countries do decide to wipe this debt out, i only see it returning a couple of years down the road.
another thing: when people right around the world decide to help out via financiallly or through food/clothing donations, what everyone forgets easily is that some of these third world countries are going through cival wars, corrupt governments and whathaveu....these donations never make it to the people in need.
rebels, corrupt governments and the like take advantage of peoples' donations and keep things for themselves... so before everyone around the world decides these poor people need help, perhaps cleaning up a few other messes is a neccessity.

the last thing that bugged me the other day was when i was watching tv (channel surfing) and a reporter asks Bob Geldoff "how do u think this Live 8 event is going to help the people in need for the long term?"
and yeah i see the guy is respected everywhere and thats great and all...but his response gave me the impression that its less about the people in need and more about putting on a show... which is SAD IMHO.

if helping people is the main focus of all this, why not take two minutes and say something meaningful rather than "right now we are just thinking of our performance, thats all"

like i said, helping to get rid of hunger, disease and the lack of the most basic needs of life is going to take much more money and commitment than these celebrities and politicians probably care to give and show.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

The problem is that no matter how much aid gets poured into Africa, it doesn't go to the Africans who need it- it goes to dictators like Mugabe, murderous government goons in Sudan, etc. The people aren't seeing that money and that's the problem.

 

[StardogChampion]

To all who are complaining: Would you rather they just didn't have this concert at all? At least they're doing something.

You can't say that all donations don't go to the people who need it, because a hell of a lot of it does.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

To all who are complaining: Would you rather they just didn't have this concert at all? At least they're doing something.

no.
what i am saying is, if these celebrities are truly concerned about the third world countries, instead of getting the G8 politicians to just fork out money that the poor people won't see, why not get these leaders to rid said countries of corrupt governments, limit the civil wars and limit rebel/terrorists from profiting from donations?

history shows us that these concert/events do very little to improve the situation in these countries...so maybe its now time for a different approach?
im not saying the countries with power should go in "guns a blazin" like Bush did with Iraq and Afganistan but clearly... giving money isn't helping in the way of ridding the problems, is it?

personally, i think Canada has enough problems of its own (healthcare anyone?) and if people in power do not have the interest in going all the way in ridding the problems which plague third world countries, then i'd rather see Paul Martin spend that money where it will be used correctly and treatments will be given to the people who need it instead of these monies/donations falling into the wrong hands.

sorry if this offends anyone :|

 

[CptStern]

the point is that governments get rid of third world deficit ..the goal is that each g8 country contribute .7% of their GDP to fighting world hunger ...I dont see how that's such an unreasonable goal ...considering that a country like norway already gives more than .8 % (their goal is 1% by decades end) ....yay norway

 

[Dr. Freeman]

the point is that governments get rid of third world deficit ..the goal is that each g8 country contribute .7% of their GDP to fighting world hunger ...I dont see how that's such an unreasonable goal ...considering that a country like norway already gives more than .8 % (their goal is 1% by decades end) ....yay norway

but isn't the focal point in ridding these countries of hunger and disease?
okay, maybe wanting to totally get rid of these problems is not a realistic goal but still...shouldn't the world leaders/celebrities be more focused on how to get these problems to which they are managable by the people of said countries?

as i see it, 15 years from now, we will still be talking about saving Africa from hunger and disease as we are today...its a vicious circle.

 

[lister]

Tickets were free, artists were being paid nothing.

When do they ever do anything for nothing.

I rekon that if some money does go out to them people is Sudan , that it will only be SOME.

 

[oldagerocker]

Bob Geldolf showed on national television that he doesnt himself understand the issues and came off looking a complete fool when he was placed next to a well respected news reader/analyst Micheal Burke.

There is no simple, lets just cancel debt to help poverty answer. There are a number of things that need to be done.
For a start removing the tyrant undemocratic leaders of some countries and stopping the wars, hunger and oppression. Stopping any loans that cannot be paid back from getting paid out would also help and giving african farmers subsidies for their crops (instead of intensive farming European ones, who'se most crop goes into vast Stockpiles and wasted anyway).

The artists were given £12,000 of goodies each from the sponsers, not including the huge rise in cd sales from the publicity. And to top it off, the complete arseholes Bono and Paul McCartney are releasing a single of the song in london that kicked it off... which sounded crap anyway.

The G8 meetings arent going to come of any help, the leaders dont care about rock stars. Russia will not help, they gain too much from the constant war and arms deals. The only real will to stop poverty is coming from Blair... and that isn't enough, and even then its only to win public support over here. Britain didnt go into Zimbabwe to remove an atrocious leader or to stop genocide in Sudan/Rwanda. And the most disgusting thing of all, the Secretary General of the UN turned up at this live8 gig, i find that terrible... where was the UN when thousands of people died in the Sudan? Where are they saving so amny people from death and starvation in Zimbabwe?

Nothing is done to help the Aids crisis, to get drugs and contraception to people, nobody will bend the ear of the pope to lift the ban on condoms.

There's just so many factors to do with this poverty, hell, the best idea would be to recolonise the place and sort it out again, because atleast while we were there nobody starved like they are now.

 

[CptStern]

but isn't the focal point in ridding these countries of hunger and disease?
okay, maybe wanting to totally get rid of these problems is not a realistic goal but still...shouldn't the world leaders/celebrities be more focused on how to get these problems to which they are managable by the people of said countries?

as i see it, 15 years from now, we will still be talking about saving Africa from hunger and disease as we are today...its a vicious circle.

with foreign aid tanzania is fast closing in on it's target of education for every one of it's citizens


small steps is better than none at all

 

[Dr. Freeman]

with foreign aid tanzania is fast closing in on it's target of education for every one of it's citizens


small steps is better than none at all

Stern, really i have seen u with more muscle in such discussions previously...this is a sad performance tho
anyway i think u know what i am saying and i think u know people in power just won't have the kind of commitment i was talking about.

 

[CptStern]

Stern, really i have seen u with more muscle in such discussions previously...this is a sad performance tho
anyway i think u know what i am saying and i think u know people in power just won't have the kind of commitment i was talking about.

ya I get lazy


I agree, sure the money can go into the wrong hands but the bulk of it goes to the right hands ...0.7 of the GDP (gross domestic product) isnt all that much to ask ...canada already gives 0.6 ..btw the 0.7 was agreed to in 1970 ..most first world countries have yet to meet their goals that were set back over 30 years ago ...although some have already surpassed it, namely: Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden

here's more info


anyways debt cancellation will go a long way in helping the world's poor

 

[jonbob]

Why don't those hugely philanthropic musicians pay off some of Africa's debt? Many of them have massive fortunes, after all.

 

[CptStern]

I dont think all the musicians in the world could pay 1.3 trillion


seriously I dont know what you guys are complaining about ...some of you dont even pay taxes or are old enough to have any sort of equity ...it's not like it's coming out of your pocket

 

[Xune]

There is too much money to be made from the suffering of almost an entire nation for it to ever be stopped. Corrupt governments are sold arms in exchange for huge debts to fight "rebels" who, you guessed it, are also being supplied by the same arms companies. Sicknesses easily treated in many western countries, claim lives of thousands, while the medicine is sold off before it can reach those who need it. Other medecines don't even get into Africa because the manufacturers don't want to take a hit in their profits!

Africa is rich in gold, oil, diamonds and man power. If Africa was every allowed to get on an equal footing it would be the next, and probably last, superpower. This scares the white nations shitless.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

To all who are complaining: Would you rather they just didn't have this concert at all? At least they're doing something.

You can't say that all donations don't go to the people who need it, because a hell of a lot of it does.

I wasn't trying to complain about it, it's for a good cause, if that's causing any confusion. I'm just saying the effectiveness is hampered by assholes like Mugabe. It'd be good to invest in some programs at first to get people on the ground in Africa that can ensure this aid gets to the people.