The Earth dies screaming, so pass the Courvoisier
The Live Earth concerts is proof that the politics of environmentalism are rooted in middle-class hypocrisy.I have yet to see many, or any seasoned environmental campaigners fully endorse the Live Earth 'extravaganza', indeed, even openDemocracy's very own green guru Oliver Tickell concedes that the 'whole cult of celebrity can be stomach-turning'. Well, if you ask me that is putting it mildly to say the least. We all know that celebrities like Madonna are opportunistic when it comes to worth while causes, one day they are for something, the next day they drop it and move on to yet another global event or cause. Tickell also points out the glaring contradictions of A-list celebrities like Madonna telling the little people how they should live their 'carbon-neutral' lives - yeah right, Madonna.
John Buckley of the CarbonFootprint.com told the Daily Mail how 'Madonna's Confessions tour produced 440 tonnes of CO2 in four months of last year. And that was just the flights between the countries, not taking into account the truckloads of equipment needed, the power to stage such a show and the transport of all the thousands of fans getting to the gigs'. The truth is, the real message of the Live Earth concerts is it's absolutely acceptable to be a millionaire pop-star, just so long as they get on a stage once and a while and tell the population how they should reduce their carbon footprint - breath-taking hypocrisy becomes socially acceptable.
The shear hypocrisy, and all of the glaring contradictions are neatly summed up by Live Earth's highly irritating little book entitled Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook. The author of the book is the multi-millionaire David de Rothschild from the same hyper-rich Rothschild banking dynasty. The book is packed full of unbearable ideas that pussyfoot around the problem of climate change - like for example, we are told to grow our own tomatoes, and if your cold at home, wear a jumper instead of turning the heating on. The book is, to all intents and purposes, a green version of our very own Holy Bible - the only difference is the Live Earth Global Survival Handbook is produced by a guilt-ridden, plummy-mouthed aristocrat who thinks he can tell the little people how they ought to live.
Labels: Environmental hypocrisy
posted by Courtney Hamilton @ 9:58 PM
9 Comments:
Hypocrisy may come naturally to them, but all these people are really doing is cashing in on a new market. Same gig, different protest sign.
I agree with you Don - environmentalism is actually another form of modern consumerism, but for the middle-class. Don't buy normal food they say, buy organic food only. Don't be buying a petrol car, get a biodiesel car instead. Don't buy a Victorian semi-detached house with sash windows, get a 'eco-home' with double glazing - and so on, and so on.
For every product you can buy on the market, there appears to be a 'eco-friendly' version you can get.
Celebrity concerts have me reaching for a paper bag. Was there ever such a collection of pompous, postulating hyenas howling for their egos and humanitarian goodness to be assuaged?
It may happen that, some time in the future, I will start to lead a 'greener' life and concern myself with the size of my carbon footprint, and all of that malarkey... who knows? maybe I will... but if I do, it sure won't be because The Pussycat Dolls told me to.
Nicely put Courtney... I just wonder what will be the next issue du jour for next year that all the same 'musicians' will be wheeled out to entertain us in a worthy way. I can't wait... (obviously I'm lying)
The whole global warming movement is shot through with hypocrisy; there are various public sector specialists (such as those who work for the GLA) who spend half their lives jetting from conference to conference around the world to talk about how it's really bad that people produce tonnes of CO2 jetting around the world.
mjw,
Of course, you only need to take a look at George Monbiot, who is forever banging on and on about the evils of the aviation industry - yet is was the very same evil aviation industry that made Monbiot's career in investigative journalism.
I first knew about Monbiot, not because of his environmental credentials, but more so because of his traveling journeys in Indonesia, Brazil, and Kenya. So Monbiot has had all his nice little trips jetting around the globe, now he doesn't want anyone to do what he did and experience new lands, different people and cultures - in other words, he doesn't want other people to broaden their horizons by visiting other cultures.
Monbiot has certainly become one of the main apologists for the environmental movement in the UK, but he's also one of the biggest environmental hypocrites this society has ever seen.
Of course, obviously, Monbiot is a hypocrite. But he is not alone. Looking from Poland, I can see that the greater feeling of guilt about one’s ‘carbon footprint’ is directly proportional to one’s level of consumption. That’s why the Green movement is lead by a bunch of public school boys – Monbiot, Goldsmith, Poritt……environmentalism is not a political response to anything, it’s escapism….
Courtney,
Long time no see. Enjoying your blog very much. Get in touch:
heartfield@blueyonder.co.uk
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