Tuesday, June 14, 2005

The Trouble It's Crea8ed: Part 2

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I'll be in Edinburgh at the time of the G8 summit, although for my family holiday, and not to be a rebel (I'm not good at being one anyway). Like a lamb, and it was "the cool thing to do" (plus the lineup was pretty immense), I did try and win tickets for the concert. By answering a simple question (which I got wrong the first time, doh!), I would be entered into the draw to win one of the 75,000 pairs of tickets for a hiawge concert in London.

The deadline passed yesterday, and my mind started racing should I be one of the lucky ones. Immediately I thought "fuck me! What a concert!". But the fact that it was in London kind of put me off that idea. As such, another opinion crossed my mind.

Selling them on eBay

I mean, I've never liked Geldof (I think he's a egomaniac living in a dream world, where everybody is black and white). I'm skint, and - come this morning, I have about £60 left on my overdraft. By selling the tickets (should I win), I could clear my overdraft, even pay my rent for the year.

I really cannot see why there's a problem in selling them. By the letter of the law they are the winner's property. They can do exactly what they want with them. That's the stance I would take. For Bob Geldof to organise such a concert, and not expect for people to profiteer, is so short sighted. In any rate, the first plan (should I win) was to sell them on eBay. Sorry to be selfish, but to live rent-free for a year would be quite nice. I mean, I don't think I'm the only one who will profiteer of a charity event, am I?

The whole Live8 situation is very materialistic too, in my opinion. Throwing billions of pounds at a problem doesn't make it go away. It didn't make it go away 20 years ago, and it won't now. The money raised will probably go to rich dictators to further civil wars and fund their lavish lifestyle. But, as long as the money is in Africa, then it's all good for Geldof. Mission accomplished. If Live8 was about raising awareness (as well as funds) that Africa is not a country which has had a bad break, but it's full of corruption, dictatorship, genocide and lack of AIDS awareness; or if Live8 was the celebration of ending third world poverty - not the beginning of an end that may never come - maybe I would support it (don't get me wrong, I was supporting the Make Poverty History campaign for a long time, wearing the band and everything, until recently).

Ahem, I'm going to get flamed.

In any rate, I understand that many people don't share the same view as me, and believe that selling them on eBay would be wrong. As these people are my friends and family, and I don't want to be thought of as a "sick bastard", I've curbed that plan. All today, I've been toying with two ideas (should I win tickets):-

• Go to the concert, as it would be pretty cool. Especially if Michael Jackson is added to the bill.
• Sell them on eBay, and give a portion of the money to a charity I do believe in (who don't get anywhere near enough support as they deserve, because it's not "cool" to), such as Mind, RNLI or The St. David's Hospice.

Either way, I'll piss somebody off. At the end of the day, I have come to one conclusion.

I don't want to win the bloody tickets in the first place.