Product Red: Why Bono Rocks …
In a recent NY Times article, critics attack Bono’s (Product) RED campaign, which drafts corporate sponsors to contribute profits on RED products to fight disease in Africa — saying those corporations (e.g. GAP, Armani) have a reputation for running sweatshops in developing countries.
Bono, in his response argues that “I’ve come to a place where I realize that there is something obnoxious about a spoiled rotten rock star in a photograph with a vulnerable child taken by a dreadful disease. But that’s who I am and that’s who they are. And I’m doing my best.”
Whereas there is an element of truth behind the sweatshop stories, I think it must be acknowledged that Bono’s undertakings to tweak and motivate change at different levels of the developed world’s social, economic and political systems are laudable. Rightly so, he has been described by some as “the face of fusion philanthropy” given his impressive involvement in commercial and hybrid entities aimed at tackling poverty especially in Africa, as well as alliances with the aforementioned corporations, and even conservative politicians like Jesse Helms.
Nobody is perfect. But I think the net effect is positive for Africa. There are people, especially labour unionists, who are paid to level accusations at such efforts. And indeed, I believe they are at times useful whistle-blowers. This time though, I think they should cut Bono some slack. He is doing some GREAT work ….
posted by jm at 4:47 PM
8 Comments:
Bono, Geldof, Madonna etc. are symptomatic of the continuing belief, fostered in pre-colonial times, that the West is duty-bound to spread good governance and civilisation to the savages in Africa. We are complicit in this scheme that paints us as unable to solve even the most basic of our problems. It is a model we need to reject in its entirety.
I remember as a kid being told a story (probably apocryphal) of Muhammad Ali's visit to Tanzania. After receiving a welcome worthy of Heads of State in other African countries, you can imagine his surprise when Mwalimu Nyerere sent a lowly boxer to meet him. The point is, the world will not treat us as equals until we practice some self-respect.
Placing our salvation in the hands of celebrities and so-called Africa experts (none of whom are African BTW) is simply accepting our place at the bottom of the food chain. You can read more of my views on this topic here.
I agree with Gathara.. Lakini what exactly are WE doing ourselves to help our country and our people?
Your negativity on this issue is positively medieval but your perfection of conjecture is even more remarkable.
“Bono, Geldof, Madonna etc. are symptomatic of the continuing belief, fostered in pre-colonial times, that the West is duty-bound to spread good governance and civilization to the savages in Africa. We are complicit in this scheme that paints us as unable to solve even the most basic of our problems. It is a model we need to reject in its entirety.”
To whom much is given much is expected. If Bono has benefited from the extravagancies of capitalism, and feels obliged to give back to the most underprivileged in society, why should we deny him that opportunity?
I do not really think I would put his situation in the same category as Madonna. This dude is serious. He accepts that Western institutions have screwed up African economies and stands up to do something about it, because he can. I think your tales of “helping savages in Africa” is becoming cliché, sounds strong on paper, but carries no substantial weight, and is a tinge bitter? Do you really believe that is what Bono is doing, CONSCIOUSLY?
Bitter? Of course I'm bitter! And why shouldn't I be? Every day I am confronted with the stupidity of poor Africans living in the midst of nature's bounty. Every day I have to listen to people like you who are waiting for the great white messiah to deliver us from our economic and political troubles.
There's a poignant scene in the movie "Ghandi" where the Mahatma sends away his white companion declaring that the Indians have to see that an Indian could do it. The Bono-Geldoff types wittingly or unwittingly perpetuate the impression that Africans cannot do it and therefore need the Westerners.
How come during Live 8 bands from Africa were relegated to playing in a sideshow? Why are all these NGO do-gooders staffed almost exclusively by whites at the top levels? How come discussions of Africa's poverty are conducted by white guys in Western capitals?
Secondly, the things these celebrities fight for mask the obvious and fundamental issues.
a) That Africans (and African governments) are largely to blame for their own plight and it is only action by Africans (and not the G8) that will lift the continent fromits current penury.
b) That global "aid" is a loansharking operation (between 1970 and 2002 Sub-Sahara Africa received a total of $294 billion in loans. In the same period of time we paid back $268 billion, and accumulated, after interest, a mountain of debt amounting to $210 billion).
c) That the global trade system evolved in part to transfer our mineral and agricultural assets to the West and relegate us to markets for their goods.
These celebs are beneficiaries of that system and have no interest in rocking the boat. Hence the smokescreen that is the call for debt relief, increasing aid, more trade.
I pity Africans who rush to embrace "Western experts" on everything from corruption to economics, implementing solutions such as the liberalisations which cost Kenya thousands of jobs and led to the collapse of our textile and footwear industries? Is it any wonder that any air-headed celebrity with a twinge of conscience and a god complex thinks he can solve our problems for us?
You may think it medieval, but believe you me, it is happening in this day and age.
Oh and sorry for the length of this comment. Didn't mean to "blog on your blog".
Haha, No worries about the length, @ you've gotta air your opinions.
Most of what you have I agree with. But until such a time as African leaders empathize with their folks, assistance from outside is a necessary evil. Even assuming Bono and co. are doing it for selfish motives
(we'll prolly not come to a consensus about that), wouldn't you much rather see people being helped, than perishing from neglect by their own government? I think there will be a time for what you are advocating to work lakini b4 we rectify our underlying institutional mess, wacha watu wasaidiwe. Think about it from the perspective of our colleagues who benefit from these Westerners, I am pretty sure their major worry is survival - not who is helping them, or why?
In addition, there are white people who genuinely care about African issues, and who offer anonymous assistance.
There are white people who are motivated to start non-profits 2 work on AIDS in Africa because:
a] it has affected them personally and hence their motivation
b]AIDS is most prevalent in Africa and hence dollar 4 dollar, the impact of their actions there would be most gratifying 2 them.
Examples abound with a lot of other white initiated (and operated) initiatives in Africa.
My point is, there are many jungus -independent of their governments- who are genuinely concerned about Africa and the fact that it lags behind in virtually all HDI measures.
I understand we should solve our own problems, but its not like the jungus invade our countries and force their assistance on us. The axiom of caveat emptor applies, crude as it may sound... the people in dire need of assistance deem the westerners' assistance as appropriate ... would you rather they suffer, given we know our govas would let them suffer?
I think the mistake you make is you fail 2 separate individual westerners from their governments. I propose that these 2 parties are VERY different, and that their MOTIVATION and INTEREST are not necessarily aligned.
That said, I am not making any generalizations, and I think you would be ill-advised to make generalizations, as you have in ur prior post ...
The "aid" these odieros give breeds dependence. I sympathise with those who are forced to live off such handouts. The question is how best to help them. By subsidising the inefficiencies and corruption that are endemic in our societies, and ameliorating the effects of electing idiotic leaders, the do-gooders simply shield us from the consequences of our stupidity, thus removing any incentive for change. In this way, even the "white people who genuinely care about African issues, and who offer anonymous assistance" actually contribute to keeping Africa that way.
If there is one thing that has been conclusively proven, it is that aid does not work here. After all the billions that have been poured, the average African is poorer than he was 30 years ago. In Kenya, it is only the suspension of foreign aid in the late 80s that made people sit up and start demanding their rights. Suddenly we had to face the full unsubsidized force of Moi's and Kenyatta's mismanagement. We discovered that we are actually taxpayers, not just wananchi. We discovered the freedoms that had been denied us. And most important of all, we started demanding reform. While we still have a long ways to go, I am encouraged by the progress we have made.
I'm probably too late to cut a long story short but here goes. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Keep your fish and he will soon discover nets and fishing rods and feed himself and his nation for the rest of eternity.
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Keep your fish and he will soon discover nets and fishing rods and feed himself and his nation for the rest of eternity."
very true. but only if there is a lake ...
I believe the intentions of most celebrities are good (although the PR sure doesn't hurt). The end of colonialism was supposed to result in our freedom and ability to fulfill our potential, but we just traded the white oppressors with black ones. We would think that our own people would be more invested in our wellbeing but few are.
The ideal situation is for us to help ourselves but when somebody is in need, they'll take any help they can get. I just wonder, with all the publicity and funds raised for these causes, how much actually gets to the victims? So we are justified in questioning all these organizations and do-gooders because their solutions don't always work for us.
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