I've been quite sceptical about Live8. It seemed to distract attention from the campaigning going on at Edinburgh. And it was made out that the numbers attending and all the excitement somehow showed how many people cared about world poverty and justice and all that. But not really - it just showed that people wanted to go to a free concert with huge-name-stars and be Part Of Something. People 'wanted to show they cared'. But how much did it really do to educate people? How much of a lasting impression will it make? How much will it actually change?
I thought all this until today, when I may have changed my mind a little. I saw a big advert for the DVD of the Live Aid concert. One of my earliest memories is buying the Live Aid single, aged probably 5. My mum explained what it was about and I asked whether I could send a bottle of milk and a chocolate cake to the people in Ethiopia and she explained that they needed special food beacuse they were so hungry they couldn't eat normal food.
For me, that is a significant memory. And now, aged 26, I'm starting an MA in International Political Economy because I want to find a way to make the world fairer. I campaign for global justice and I'm interested in these issues. I'm not putting it all down to one single, but in 2025, will there be a whole load of today's 5-year-olds who were influenced by Live8? I'm not saying there will, I'm just saying that it made me think a little.
3 comments:
still trying to change the world then? as you know i have the political views of a 19th century polition, aot like churchil did and as we all know from the fact that we are still speaking english he turned out ok. i do agree in part, live 8 was just free publisity for "big names", but i noticed such classic names as motorhead, megadeath etc were not playing so payed little attention to it. how ever i did notice that velvert revolver were playing so that got a minute of my time. have you guessed who i am yet, does the speling and grammer give it away? if you have guessed who i am send me an email, l8rs x
That would be Creche?
charade i am you have found me out, ull know its me in the future because i will remail anonymous, (if only by name!)
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