I like the way E.J. Dionne portrays American Idol’s two-night special “Idol Gives Back” which starts tonight. I include an excerpt:
Do you find it obnoxious when super-rich people in the music industry come forward to preen about their exquisitely sensitive social consciences?
Is there something worse than a multimillion-dollar televised entertainment operation patting itself on the back for weeks on end in celebration of its brilliantly inventive and groundbreaking approach to philanthropy?
Actually there is something worse: a total indifference to human suffering. If pampered stars and their corporate patrons have a hankering for public approval or — could it be? — a sense of authentic obligation, perhaps that behavior should be encouraged.
Those among the 30 million or so regular watchers of Fox’s “American Idol” (yes, I confess I’m one) will know I’m referring to the “Idol Gives Back” spectacular that airs tonight and Wednesday to raise money for poor children in the U.S. and Africa.
Although we may see their seemingly half-hearted attempts to “give back” as pretentious, I agree that it makes sense to support any help offered to relieve social ills such as hunger and poverty. Even if we want American Idol and others to give more, we must remain happy and gracious for what they do give not unhappy and angry that they didn’t do more.
Rewarding good behavior keeps it coming.
I only have one point I want us to strain no-matter-what: The world has the resources to end hunger, poverty and homelessness. We have the resources to provide food, clothes, shelter, education and healthcare to everyone in the world.
Never let any half-hearted or pretentious gesturing trick you into thinking of the fight against poverty as some unwinnable battle. As a society, we can end poverty any time we choose. So far, we have chose not to.
It makes sense not to waste much resources on an unwinnable battle (which explains why privileged folk such as Bono and those down at American Idol have such a philosophy). However, when we recognize that we can end poverty, then we know that the battle against poverty calls for more than two-night specials.