Emoticons

Sitting back, nibbling on Madelines and drinking Diet Dr. Pepper (I'm housesitting...it's all they've got), it occurs to me. Emotions can be both a blessing and a curse. We can see the blessings in every day life: children hugging their parents out of love for them, people rescuing stray dogs, students supporting Starbucks because the company has helped them through many an all-nighter.

But we can also see the downside of emotions, namely liberalism, (kidding people!! kind of) and how emotions can often blind people to the truth of a matter simply because the truth "doesn't make them feel good."

Case in point: Live8. Or, should I say no point in case. What the heck did that show accomplish anyway? A bunch of hedonistic, filthy rich celebrities playing for emotionally crippled teens who all think they are "helping the greater good" by complaining about a situation. Agh. Not once did they take up a collection to feed the poor in Africa. They just complained about the situation and "put pressure" on governments (aka, President Bush) to send more of our tax dollars to corrupt governments in that continent.

But, it made them feel good. That's why they practice Kabbalah and Scientology. It makes them feel good. No matter that none of it is effective. As long as it feels good, it must be right.

It wouldn't make them feel good to know that the more aid that is sent, the worse the situation gets. It wouldn't make them feel good to know that it was when the British and the French left Africa that the continent took a nose dive. It wouldn't make them feel good to know that the corrupt officials and tribesmen in Africa are all Muslim and that the ones truly helping the AIDS situation and poverty are Christians. Nevermind that Pres. Bush has already tripled the aid to Africa and has done more for that continent than any other U.S. President. None of that feels good, even though it's true. Therefore, it's better to live in a solipsistic, Shirley MacClaine world and ignore everything that might contradict their emotional paradigm.

The celebrities who actually are making a difference, sans Bono, weren't there. They were doing things like...not complaining and making an actually change. Angelina Jolie just adopted another child from Ethiopia who would most likely have starved to death or died of AIDS. Gary Sinise is collecting school supplies and delivering them to students in Iraq. These people don't even talk the talk. They just walk it.

Live8 was a tremendous concert, I'm sure. But that's all it was. Too bad. If they all got off their high horses and got informed, they might actually make a difference.