Celebrities and humanitarian problems

Tim Robbins

I hate Bono. Do you?

1. I hate the way he thinks he understands extremly complex humanitarian problems.
2. I hate the way he acts like he really cares about poverty. If he lived like most people and transfered all his wealth that he doesn't need then we'd see real progress and we could take him seriously.
3. I hate the way he thinks he's intellectual when he can't even answer simple philosophical questions about charity and justice in an intelligent manner.
4. I hate the way he surronds himself by people who agree with him and never challenge him. I have never once seen him in a tough interview.
5. I hate the way he thinks he can waltz into critical political submits just because he is a rock star and by pass things like being an elected through the democratic process by the people and by passing tonnes of people who lead activist groups and know far more than he does about humanitarian problems.
6. I hate the way he thinks he can make solutions happen through some sort of "I'm bono" magic.
7. I hate the way he goes on to us all about AID and then transfer U2's wealth to Holland to avoid tax.
8. I hate the way he has the cheek to defend artists exemption for tax. Even for loaded artists like him.
9. I hate the way he acts like he's Jesus.

Ickle Magoo

I don't know the man well enough to state that I hate HIM. I don't like his public persona would be as far as I'd go.

As a general rule I don't like rich people telling poor people to give their money away while very obviously not renouncing all their own worldly goods for the cause they consider so just and desperate.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

jill_valentine

I'm kind of in two minds about stuff like this.

On the one hand, the example provided - Bono - is a bit of a douche. On the other hand, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that having his momentum behind a campaign is a massive boon. Like, the man makes my skin crawl, but there are likely very many people alive today because of the causes he has chosen to put his time and energy into. Which is more than I did this week.

Charlie Brooker had a nice piece on the subject: "I agree with what they are saying - I just wish THEY weren't saying it. How can I open my wallet while my fists are curled with rage?"

ILA

I agree with you and am glad to see I'm not alone in seeing this huge hypocrite lecture the Irish people when not even paying tax in this country.

Tim Robbins

Why should we be lectured to by someone on how we should live by someone who refuses to live like us?

fontanalis

ILA wrote: »

I agree with you and am glad to see I'm not alone in seeing this huge hypocrite lecture the Irish people when not even paying tax in this country.

Would you pay tax if you were him, when you see where it's being spent?

Denerick

Celebrities involved in fashionable charitable causes? Surely not!

prinz

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I hate the way he thinks he can waltz into critical political submits just because he is a rock star and by pass things like being an elected through the democratic process by the people and by passing tonnes of people who lead activist groups and know far more than he does about humanitarian problems..

This is the major issue and a sign of our times, the fact that we need celebrity 'ambassadors' etc. I have much more respect for other celebrities who give something back without looking for the ego payback, Matt Damn for example has contributed millions to many worthy causes.

There are people who have dedicated every minute of every day to helping others who do not have anything close to the access to certain places/people, nor get an ounce of the recognition.

fontanalis

fontanalis wrote: »

Would you pay tax if you were him, when you see where it's being spent?

And yet there is a rather large degree of hypocrisy considering the taxes that he should be paying would go to paying for the infrastructure to support in Ireland the homeless, the addicts, victims, asylum seekers, etc. It doesn't matter that our politicians are complete and utter twats. The tax revenue still goes into the budget to pay for everything that this country requires to meet the demands of the people.

TBH Bono is just another person more concerned with the problems that other countries have, and couldn't really care less about Ireland. I don't really see him as being Irish anymore. Being Irish is just a publicity stunt for him.

Tim Robbins

Deleted User wrote: »

TBH Bono is just another person more concerned with the problems that other countries have, and couldn't really care less about Ireland. I don't really see him as being Irish anymore. Being Irish is just a publicity stunt for him.

I couldn't give two hoots about the "Irish" thing. The point is his take home pay is in the order of millions even if gives millions to charity.

It's the equivalent of you winnig 40 million on the euro lottery and giving 10 million to charity and then lecturing to people struggling to pay their mortgages and health insurance what we should be doing with our lives.
And doing this in a manner where there is no critical feedback on any of his opinions. He goes on MTV rather than face someone like John Bowman or Jeremy Paxman who'd through a few tough questions his way.

Herbal Deity

But he wears cool glasses, and is hip, and tells it like it is, not like those stuffy politicians...

FreudianSlippers

I don't know... I mean on one hand, it's good that they are bringing the issues to light, but on the other hand they almost make a show of it in a way.

Bono may be an attention loving prick in the opinion of some, but he does a lot of good things for charity and raises awareness in massive ways.

Tim Robbins

OisinT wrote: »

I don't know... I mean on one hand, it's good that they are bringing the issues to light, but on the other hand they almost make a show of it in a way.

Bono may be an attention loving prick in the opinion of some, but he does a lot of good things for charity and raises awareness in massive ways.

Just an your awarness argument...
I don't know anyone who gives money or time to charity because Bono says so. Do you?

FreudianSlippers

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Just an your awarness argument...
I don't know anyone who gives money or time to charity because Bono says so. Do you?

I think it's hard to quantify. I don't think anyone is actually going "well if Bono said so..."
But at the same time, it brings the issue to the mind perhaps?

Denerick

OisinT wrote: »

I think it's hard to quantify. I don't think anyone is actually going "well if Bono said so..."
But at the same time, it brings the issue to the mind perhaps?

The poor people of Burma want democracy.

There. Am I now as influential as Bono? Clearly I've brought the issue to mind...