John Lennon vs. Bono: The death of the celebrity activist
By William Easterly | December 12, 2010 | Washington Post
“…There is a fundamental difference between Lennon’s activism and Bono’s, and it underscores the sad evolution of celebrity activism in recent years….”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/09/AR2010120904262.html?nav=hcmoduletmv
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One Response to “John Lennon vs. Bono: The death of the celebrity activist”
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I have as much love, admiration and respect for Lennon as anyone. But…
Let’s be serious for a moment. Although I suppose Lennon can take some credit for galvanizing the youth of the 1970s in a general way, for all the “directness” of his antiwar activism, what concrete success did he have? The question is rhetorical.
Meanwhile, although Bono may be “prostituting” himself to some degree, there is no question that he can point to concrete, specific successes in his activism on poverty, etc.
Ultimately, Lennon worked on the premise that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” while Bono works on the premise that “you get more flies with honey than with vinegar.” The former has in fact worked in some cases (e.g., the civil rights movement). However, for all his good intentions, Lennon’s “way” was simply not as successful as Bono’s is.
Posted on 12-Dec-10 at 9:11 pm | Permalink