It's hard to discuss this topic without sounding like a dick.
So before I begin, let's get a few things straight.
1 - I have nothing personal against "invisible children," I'm sure they're lovely guys. I'm also sure their motives are entirely honest.
2 - I love the concept of "charity," it is genuinely a part of my life. I write this post, purely from the heart, in order to defend that noble ideal.
3 - There are many massively shit things in the world, most of which, I do nothing about.
Years ago, some friends and I managed and promoted a group on Facebook called:
"I hate Bono and his fucking face."
We had over 50 000 members when it was shut down, on the grounds that it was offensive. I think it was apparent to most people that the group was a parody, a burlesque of popular culture. Bono became a metaphor for everything that was wrong with our lives/the world etc etc.
The thing that annoyed me about Bono the most, wasn't his sunglasses, or the fact that his sidekick, "The Edge," actually calls himself "The Edge." It was the way his bullshit was attacking the notion of charity itself. It exploited people's guilt in order to give the messianic rock-star a platform from which to preach.
He actually made a business out of selling people real images of human suffering!
How hideous is that?
What really upset me and pissed me off, was the number of "U2 fans" (AKA cuntlings) who typed the following rants:
1 - "What have you ever done?"
- Not that it's any of your business, because charity is a private affair, but I have always worked on a voluntary basis with community and charity organisations. In fact; everywhere I have ever lived, I have proactively donated my free time to community organisations. In Cornwall, Bristol, Liverpool, London, San Francisco, Berlin, Bangkok - the list goes on. I have worked with orphanages, community centres, MLD schools, old peoples homes, behavioral problem schools... I don't do it because I want people to think I'm cool. I don't need friends. I don't want a medal. I don't brag about this to anyone, most people don't even know. I do this work because I believe, wherever you are in the world, your community deserves a little bit of your time.
I'm not saying I'm an angel. I'm certainly not. I don't feel doing voluntary work makes me better than someone who doesn't do it. I make mistakes in my life, just like anyone else, and this is not some weird atonement. However, it is something I feel is right. I am a single man, I have free time, I want to donate that time to my local area, to make it a little better for everyone.
The arguments, put forward by cuntlings do little more than enforce my theory that the concept of charity has been commodified, taken out of your hands, and turned into a brand.
The thought process is like this:
"I can't do anything to stop Africans dying, so I'll give Bono $20 and he can sort it out."
2 - "Bono's raising awareness, nobody knew about Africa until he said something."
- Of course. Good point (can you see why we called them cuntlings?) Okay. well I'm going to be very charitable and help raise your awareness still further:
"There are a lot of cunts in the world who do the most despicable things to each other. Not all of these cunts live in Africa, but some of them do."
There you go. Awareness raised?
Here's a thought, why not give the job of "raising awareness," to someone in your local community? You could call that person something like - I don't know - maybe, "a teacher?" Yeah that sounds good. Then you could build a place for this person to work and call it something like... I don't know? What would you call a place that schools people in things they don't know? Hmmmmmm
Have you noticed how so called "developed" countries, such as the UK and USA, are busy selling off the infrastructure of state education? We are closing schools, while bitching about the shit education system in Africa? Really?
Maybe if you supported your local state education, you wouldn't need bell-ends like Bono to "raise your awareness."
3 - "At least he's doing something about it, he's not wasting his money on drink and drugs like other rock-stars!"
- I don't know Bono, I don't know what he thinks. To be honest, I don't care, I'm busy. However; I'm pretty sure he's sincere in his concern for the problems in Africa - who isn't concerned about mass suffering? I'm sure when he set up his "red," charitable foundation, he was coming from a genuine place. I'm not questioning his motives. I'm pointing out the fact that his solution to the problem was to set up a production company. A company that trades in images and narratives of real human suffering and then, on the back of that, he sells you his crap merchandise.
So, what he's actually "doing," about the issue, whether he intends to or not, is instigating a massive campaign of self publicity. I admire the grandiosity of the gesture, after all, he's a rock-star, but still...
Hang on - he's a rock-star? I like my rock-stars to do the things I'd love to do. I like the idea of Bobby Gillespi smearing pot-noodle all over Kate Moss before blowing her brains out with quality skag. I like the fact that Keith Richards is still alive. It makes me happy. Okay, so, he turned the silk purse that was Anita Pallenberg into a shot away sows-ear, I'll never forgive him for that, but other than that - Go team Keith!
It is for similar reasons to these that I have studied the exploits of "Invisible children," and I raise my objections.
It's not them, or the film, or the cause. It's not the fact that they are bringing something horrific to my attention. It's not about the money they make.I don't even care that one of them gets ripped to the tits on gear and totally loses the plot. We've all been there.
It's the simple fact that - whatever their motives - they have created, what is essentially, a production company that is trading in guilt and misery; and this somehow equates to raising awareness? The notion that you can buy an armband, click a "like" on Facebook and save Africa? - also, why Africa? Always Africa.
I hate to raise your awareness, but there are a lot of problems in the UK and the USA right now. Okay, nothing quite as dramatic as "Kony 2012," but the problems are very real. You may have noticed those shitty parts of town where nobody goes after dark? The places where everyone is either a "junkie," "whore," "chav," or a "pikey"? You know, the parts without proper schools or supportive institutions? Yes that's right. The poor parts of town. Yeah. Well, that's where you live. That's your home.
I would just like to say that you are not detached from the world around you. You don't have to look to Africa to find misery and suffering. You don't have to be a "special" person, an angel, or a rock-star to make a difference to the world around you. The thing with charity is you don't HAVE to do anything if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you to do something if you don't have the time. If you do want to do something charitable, then why not look locally?
Switch off your computer, step outside your door, walk down your street, or cross your road. Find your local space and say hello. Offer assistance, give your time. It's not always easy, but I guarantee you will find a local organisation or institution that will appreciate your help. Remember, you are directly responsible for the consequences of your actions. You are not responsible for the actions of a maniac in Africa.
Don't feel you have to hand over your money just because someone shows you a grotesque film about something that, in all honesty, you can't do much about.
Don't scream and shout about how shit Africa is. If you want to make your world a little better, look at your own city. Give it a try, you'll be surprised at who you meet and what you can give. It's as free as you want it to be. Don't let your charity be commandeered by corporate interest.
Phew, glad that's off my chest, now, in keeping with the rest of this ridiculous blog I suppose I should finish with some uber-gay words of wisdom. Hmmm ah yes.
Remember kids...
"Charity begins at homo!"
Sources of debate about this issue:
No comments:
Post a Comment