The Pedestal We've Put Them On.

[BonosSaint]

It's time we let them walk off the pedestal we've put them on (and perhaps the pedestal they've put themselves on.)

Maybe there was a connection. Maybe there still is one. Certainly they feed off the energy in a concert hall and give the audience energy back. Their music is incredible, personal--it gives the illusion we know them. We don't. And they knew even less of us. We've become an inseparable crowd to them.

I think they are grateful to us in the abstract. But they don't know jacksquat about us except that we love them. I'm sure that love is intoxicating for a while. But like anything, they don't need it as much as they used to. And you don't value what you don't need. And you don't really respect what you don't value.

They are flawed. We were hungry for perfection, absolute love. We are not going to get it. I wish we could expect it, but we can't. These threads aren't about Ticketmaster. They are about a rethinking of the relationship between audience and band. They live in a world we can never understand and we live in one they cannot. For a few brief hours, the worlds meet.

They owe us exhilerating performances and music. That's all.
We owe them appreciation for that. That's all.

Anything beyond that is an act of faith.

 

[Lil'Bono]

Oh for fuck sake, give over and stop blame the band, if you hate them, then why the hell are you still here?

 

[Party Boy]

Oh for fuck sake, give over and stop blame the band, if you hate them, then why the hell are you still here?

well said!!

 

[Aardvark747]

Oh for fuck sake, give over and stop blame the band, if you hate them, then why the hell are you still here?

 

[starsgoblue]

"They owe us exhilerating performances and music. That's all."

What else did you want from them? Thier first born?

 

[paulrg]

Well I've just seen Bono on TV speaking at the World Economic Forum in a televised discussion alongside two current African Presidents, the former President of the US, the Prime Minister of UK, and Bill Gates on the subject of making Global Poverty History.

Maybe he's a bit distracted from the tour today. But he spoke, as always, with eloquence and passion on a subject far more important than how long it takes to get a ticket to a U2 show in a football stadium.

Notable in his speech was that Bono is fed up with people coming up to him thanking him for the efforts he makes for the cause of Africa when it is an emergency and that he feels we must dramatise events there to make them more real and get them more into the public concsiousness.

 

[starsgoblue]

Notable in his speech was that Bono is fed up with people coming up to him thanking him for the efforts he makes for the cause of Africa when it is an emergency and that he feels we must dramatise events there to make them more real and get them more into the public concsiousness.

Well...it was because of him that my attention was brought to the emergency anyways and the reason I now am personally involved in "doing my part", so I'm going to thank him anyways if given the chance!

 

[paulrg]

Well...it was because of him that my attention was brought to the emergency anyways and the reason I now am personally involved in "doing my part", so I'm going to thank him anyways if given the chance!

Just be sure to thank him for bringing your attention to the "emergency" not the "cause"!

 

[beau2ifulday]

Well...it was because of him that my attention was brought to the emergency anyways and the reason I now am personally involved in "doing my part", so I'm going to thank him anyways if given the chance!

Bono opened my eyes to alot of things that I was ignorant to or dismissive of before. People like him are what turned me from a passive teenager into one that cared about what was going on around me, and I feel much better for the knowledge I now have, because it means I can act as effectively as one person can.

 

[boystupidboy]

Bono...stick to singing.you make me cringe when you go on about 3rd world debt blar blar blar.........
'waits for a torrent of abuse'

 

[starsgoblue]

*

 

[starsgoblue]

Bono...stick to singing.you make me cringe when you go on about 3rd world debt blar blar blar.........
'waits for a torrent of abuse'

What are you doing to try to make the world a better place? Really, I would like to know. Do you think Bono does this because it is "fun" or "self-serving"?

You can't reap the benefits of globalization without taking the responsibilities.

 

[boystupidboy]

ITS A U2 forum!!!!!
If i wanted to be preached at i would put the god channel on

 

[paulrg]

Bono...stick to singing.you make me cringe when you go on about 3rd world debt blar blar blar.........
'waits for a torrent of abuse'

^%&& %$"£%" **&&(ir(&£
&*&^&

>?^&£%"

&£(*"*(&$*&"^

*"£&^$&*&&**&**(*

(a censored torrent of abuse)

 

[boystupidboy]

^%&& %$"£%" **&&(ir(&£
&*&^&

>?^&£%"

&£(*"*(&$*&"^

*"£&^$&*&&**&**(*

(a censored torrent of abuse)

i can guess what it says

 

[starsgoblue]

If i wanted to be preached at i would put the god channel on

That is just an ignorant response.

Besides if you didn't want to discuss Bono's "side job" then don't post about it in a thread that is mentioning it and not expect anyone to respond to you. If you're going to take the time to post something, at least have the nuts to stand behind your words.

 

[boystupidboy]

Its not an ignorant response,its fact.THIS IS A u2 FORUM.
Its in Bono's interest to come across as some sort of world saviour......every generation needs one.

 

[paulrg]

i can guess what it says

No I don't really mean any abuse to you boystupidboy. Bono himself has stated on numerous occasions that he would likely cringe himself if he was watching himself on TV with politicians.

Why I am for it is that throughout the world TV news bulletins tonight will focus in on the topic of making Poverty History, even if only for a half-minute segment, due mainly to Bono's presence - not Gates', Clinton's, Mbeke's, Blair's or anyone elses. This is the era of unprecendented celebrity power. And if it takes the lead singer of our favourite band to get it on the news then I can suffer the cringes!

 

[boystupidboy]

That is just an ignorant response.

Besides if you didn't want to discuss Bono's "side job" then don't post about it in a thread that is mentioning it and not expect anyone to respond to you. If you're going to take the time to post something, at least have the nuts to stand behind your words.

AND people should'nt post a thread and not expect to have opposing views come up

 

[boystupidboy]

oh look i've gone past the 500 posts barrier

 

[Aardvark747]

oh look i've gone past the 500 posts barrier

lol! Just noticed that myself Boy!!

 

[starsgoblue]

Since it's a U2 forum...last I checked one was able to talk about individual members. Don't need to use caps (scream) to try to get your point across...
And Bono's not trying to be a "world saviour"...I think that's exactly the kind of comments he is fed up with hearing.

 

[boystupidboy]

sorry i went offline on msn aardvark,it went tits up again.

 

[starsgoblue]

AND people should'nt post a thread and not expect to have opposing views come up

Did I say anything to allude to the fact that people aren't able to express their viewpoints? No.

 

[boystupidboy]

Since it's a U2 forum...last I checked one was able to talk about individual members. Don't need to use caps (scream) to try to get your point across...
And Bono's not trying to be a "world saviour"...I think that's exactly the kind of comments he is fed up with hearing.

but that is the image that comes across,whether he likes it or not.

 

[Aardvark747]

sorry i went offline on msn aardvark,it went tits up again.

No worries son!

 

[boystupidboy]

Did I say anything to allude to the fact that people aren't able to express their viewpoints? No.

I think we are agreeing on the same principle,no?
Post and expect to be challenged?!?

 

[starsgoblue]

but that is the image that comes across,whether he likes it or not.

Then you most likely haven't been paying attention to anything he's said or done on the matter.

 

[Aardvark747]

Hey Stars! I had to check for a minute what that image at the bottom of ur posts is!!

Looked at first like some kind of porn clip!

 

[paulrg]

The reason why Bono does get a lot of publicity for his Emergency work is not purely down to his celebrity status. It is also due to his genuine knwoledge of the subject matter. Prof Sachs (see http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/news/2005/images/washpost011705.pdf ) is a serious and respected economist who I've seen speak at unrelated events and who rates Bono's knowledge and passion very highly.

Another main reason why Bono is given airtime is precisely because he doesn't preach. He just talks in a clearly understandable way with passion about a subject that can become very dry and distracted from its foundations when left to the domain of politicians.