Is Live8 a waste of time?

[Lung]

The question is - is Live 8 going to actually help the starving poor of Africa? Even if they convince the G8 leaders, will it achieve this?

I couldn't find a poll, so i'll start one. I have my own opinion, but i think it's more important to debate this. Obviously, the question is not whether we should help or not, but how.

Vote now!

[floppy_lobster]

- Waste of time and resources

Let them sort out there own ****. There fully capable of it.

Crap we have gas gonna go to 3.00 maybe 5.00 a gallon by years end (Oil Storm anyone?). Which China and India gobbling more and more. Alot of people from countries represented at that meeting will be starving.

[Lung]

Originally posted by floppy_lobster
- Waste of time and resources

Let them sort out there own ****. There fully capable of it.

It doesn't look that way. Billions of dollars in aid and all we have to see for it are lavish dictators' mansions

[planet]

Cynics

[Sikander]

A good chance to show how pathetic many musicians are.

[Zevico]

Err...if you wanted this to be a serious poll you could've added a few more balanced options there. Does anyone honestly think it's Africa's Best Hope? Personally I just think it's a fundraiser like any other. It could help if the money went to the right place but if not I'm sure it'd could go a long way to help Robert Mugabe refurnish his summer house.

[DerSchwarzfalke]

It will be impossible to get anywhere in Philadelphia for a week -- as if Fourth of July weekend isn't already bad enough.

[Kontiki]

Brilliant planning on the part of the Canadian organizers. Our concert is being held in Barrie, which is about an hour or so north of Toronto. There is basically one major road leading to it. That same road also leads to "cottage country", an area a few hours north of Toronto that gets insanely packed every summer weekend as Torontonians flee the city in droves. On most weekends, this road is extremely busy - on long weekends, it can be a parking lot. Now throw in a few more tens of thousands of people going up and down at the same time because of the concert and you've got some phenominal road conditions.

[Dracon II]

A chance for musos to sell more records, an inferior way to help Africa, but not a complete waste of time.

I always have a kneejerk reaction of nausea to any bubblly rhetoric about "raising awareness" and all that ****e"... but I don't see how this concert will hurt Africa. Shifting the emphasis from just raising money to lobbying the G8 nations is a good move... and I hope they listen.

[C0ckney]

dracon

it's not going to solve all the problems, but it can't hurt.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Indeed... and I've always though Bono really did believe in the causes he supports, unlike some other musicians. And if it can get Pink Floyd back together... well, Hell, it can't be that bad .

[Lung]

I didn't realise until after that i had too many cynical options.

I just wonder whether there are better, more constructive ways to help the world's poor. If $50 billion doesn't make any difference, what will $100 billion do?

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Lung
I didn't realise until after that i had too many cynical options.

I just wonder whether there are better, more constructive ways to help the world's poor. If $50 billion doesn't make any difference, what will $100 billion do?

Have you ever heard about Lomborg ? He has a lot of ideas to improve things but he is quite controversial which pisses of a lot of the esthablished NGO's.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Kontiki
Brilliant planning on the part of the Canadian organizers. Our concert is being held in Barrie, which is about an hour or so north of Toronto. There is basically one major road leading to it. That same road also leads to "cottage country", an area a few hours north of Toronto that gets insanely packed every summer weekend as Torontonians flee the city in droves. On most weekends, this road is extremely busy - on long weekends, it can be a parking lot. Now throw in a few more tens of thousands of people going up and down at the same time because of the concert and you've got some phenominal road conditions.

That's what happens when a "world class city" such as Toronto is unable to provide a suitable venue.


As to the question: I think the approach will be a failure. As I mentioned in the other thread, if we are asked to hassle our politicians to get them to donate rather than donate directly as fans it can't help but fail. If I get worked up enough to hassle my representative I can assure you I will have many more pressing items than African poverty to discuss.