Beware of aging rock stars baring gifts, or leaders of the free world for that matter.\nThe Live 8 concert is part of a cycle of efforts that have ranged from futile to counterproductive. The concert's claim of "raising awareness" is misleading and irresponsible. If it was just about awareness, people would have left educated. \nHowever the concert's appeal to the G8 summit goes past educating the masses, but also proposes the idea that the G8 summit is the solution to Africa's complex problems. The concert, with its millions of attendees and viewers, has contributed to the popular belief that "Africa is poor, so money must be the answer." However it is an age old axiom that throwing money at problems in third world countries, without examining root causes and demanding reforms in government, usually ends in disaster. It is the equivalent of giving a cocaine addict $100 and telling him not to spend it in one place. Money doesn't answer the question of why Africa is so impoverished. It seems like people easily forget that Africa is a continent, made up of more than 40 separate countries, with separate governments and completely different sets of complex problems. Awareness is great for shining light on a problem, if done right. The film "Hotel Rwanda" inspired debate and jerked tears from several people, all while similar situations continue to occur in Darfur, Congo and several other countries. Appealing to the goodness of the human heart is not enough.\nOrganizations that get things done in Washington and around the world are not effective because of their uncanny ability to raise awareness or their capability to appeal to the emotions and morals of the masses. They are only as effective as how well you play the lobbying game and show people how your agenda will improve people's lives, otherwise you will only yield to self gratification and purpose rather than real change. The artists' efforts were admirable based on their good intentions, but intentions are irrelevant. The former colonial powers in Africa all had good intentions to "civilize" the indigenous people. Funny how that turned out.
Dissent\nBasic marketing says the more times someone sees a product, the more likely they are to buy it. Basic political science says drumbeat repetition of an idea keeps a key agenda in the news. Products or ideas -- putting something in someone's face -- reminds them of that something. Live 8 is no different.\nAfrica is an increasingly forlorn place and the point of Live 8 was to demonstrate that fact. No, Live 8 will not end genocide. No, the music played at Live 8 did not build houses or infrastructure. \nSome artists have done more than others. Bono and Dave Matthews stick out, as they've done much for the impoverished continent. For other artists, though, this is undoubtedly their first shot at international aid. \nTo say Live 8 did not raise awareness is obviously untrue but to say the globe-spanning concert failed to make a difference is equally absurd. The concert was epic -- it brought people together around the world, even if mostly around their TV sets and computers. \nRaised awareness is an immeasurable achievement. Average citizens of the modern world couldn't have been blind to Africa's plight before Bob Geldof put together the world's most amazing concert. But the gulf between knowing Africa's plight and empathizing with its citizens is akin to the difference between visiting a ghetto and living in a ghetto.\nDissent written by Sam Nissen.
