However, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, as the saying goes.
It could be said that though the Live 8 and even the original Live Aid/Band Aid concerts raised huge sums of 'fucking money' as Geldof would say, it did nothing about the tinpot dictators who squirrelled the aid into their wives, mistresses and swimming pools, whilst leaving the people destitute.

Sadly, until someone deadheads the corrupt dictators, whatever we do, however well intentioned, will have only a superficial effect. We will watch the news, say 'how terrible', wear our bracelets, and go back to eating our dinner.
(witty_ditty has made multiple miaows since, Mon 4 Jul 2005, 11:01, archived)

I agree that fixing the dictatorships*
is the way to fix everything in the long term.
That's not much consolation to the people that will starve tomorrow though, if I'm not being too sensationalist.

* including our own
( Newington, Mon 4 Jul 2005, 11:08, archived)

True --- it's just that a balance needs to be struck between just throwing grain and bread at the problem
...and being overly 'diplomatic' and shaking hands with Mugabe et al. And to be honest, for me, that's the sad thing --- though awareness will be raised which is no bad thing, and aid etc will fix it for a bit, people don't tend to think past the next channel change, and democracies, especially our own, don't think past the next 5-year term in office. They may put their change somewhere different, without the consideration that a change in the way we think is what is required.

/something about the worst form of government with the exception of everything that has gone before....
(witty_ditty has made multiple miaows since, Mon 4 Jul 2005, 11:20, archived)