After many years and many diatribes against the singer-cum-humanitarian, after many arguments regarding the merits and demerits of music vs. morality, after MANY moments of resentful subjection to audio and visual barrage of radio, TV, newspaper and magazine appearances: after all this. After I listened to a professor (who shall remain nameless despite ubiquitous knowledge of his love & support for the man in question) rave about the way this man has affected rock & roll, changed the public perception of charity, altered The World Itself. After creating a dissenting opinion I consider(ed) so fool-proof I'd be willing to confront Bono himself to pinpoint the precise height of the bullshit he is stepping in (right up to his 24k gold hoop earrings).
"Product(RED) my ass, 90% of those profits go to GAP!" I'd storm.
"End poverty in 50 years!!" I hooted.
"THOSE GLASSES!" I decried.
Okay. I think it's clear to all who've accidentally mentioned Bono in my presence -- and have been (probably undeservedly) read the riot act -- that I find this man... less than ideal as a spokesperson for World Peace. I don't even know what World Peace would look like, and I certainly don't want Bono to show me. I tended to believe that the world is a much more complicated place than people like Bono could ever understand. Bold confession: I guess I tended to think I, of all people, knew better? Than Bono?
I think as time went on, I was maturing past hating on people who think they've got it figured out, but I didn't extend that olive branch to Bono because it was just so much fun to ridicule him. It's so easy to lampoon the rich and famous when they try to make good choices, or do things that matter, because the very world they represent is so utterly rife with the things their pet projects attempt to surmount. The juxtaposition of these public actions for charity or world peace make their hypocrisy all the more clear, I thought. "The woman wearing the blood diamond gets on the telethon and asks me to help her free child soldiers? F you, lady," I would've said not so long ago. (Maybe would still say to get a laugh. Right? We do this.)
Reading Bono's article and liking it makes me realize something about myself. I have learned a lot since I had that disparaging attitude about the world, about other people, about what it means to "do good" or "make a difference." I learn again that things are less extreme, less black and white and more shades of gray. Life is complicated -- doing the right thing is complicated. I will attribute some of the change of heart to being out in the "real world," working as a national service member, seeing the mess of systems and organizations and schools -- hopes and dreams and plans, broken promises, bureaucracy, somehow money is never where it's needed. Past conflicts be damned: Bono is saying some things here that make a lot of sense to me now.
I do not, however, and never will, rescind commentary on THOSE GLASSES.
it's truly a beautiful day
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