Unhealthy rivalry can be wholesome. I see it unfolding in the movie industry. On their birthday, each ‘star’ adopts a charity to splurge on. Then, Affronted-Next-Friend-Competitor floors, licks and outshines them on their birthday. At the end of each year, the orphans savoured a banquet, the lepers were doted on in a day, and the rural kids relished a pledged, newly built classroom block.
Will the celebs continue one-upping one another next year, and the next, and the next? Why won’t one of them pay off the debt of the Tema Oil Refinery? Why won’t a second finish the Accra-Kumasi Road? Why won’t a third fix the inter-city rail that we so need in Accra? They believe that they have the clout to pull it off, no?
It would be even better if they did it anonymously, or didn't find a way to get it into the news that they donated to charity on their birthday.
ReplyDeletePhilanthropy is sexy! Unfortunately, attempting to fix the Accra-Kumasi road doesn't have the same instant gratification and "awww-invoking" reaction as a poster child! Used to have a high horse mentality abt it, but perhaps, it's better than doing nothing...
ReplyDeleteFunny! Do they actually go through with their promises? Basically making orphans feast for a day doesn't change their status at all. There needs to be much more thought put into this and properly rich people encouraged to contribute sustainably.
ReplyDelete@ Lady Jaye:
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly my point. People who do a little deed and point the spotlight back on their holy selves.
To be fair, it is not just the celebs. Corporate 'stars' do it as well. Many people are doing it in the name of 'branding' (another misused word that we Anti-Rhythmics must explore soon).
@ Yeh:
ReplyDeleteYou are super articulate. "Philantropy is sexy"! That is original in different ways. I like!
@ Kwame Mensa-Bonsu:
ReplyDeleteSince the media is 'encouraged' to cover the original event at which the promise is always made, all you need to do to make sure a failure to fulfil the promise is to stop 'encouraging' the media. It is all economics and one-hand-bathes-the-other.