Founding Fathers Knew Best

"There is... an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and
birth, without either virtue or talents... The artificial
aristocracy is a mischievous ingredient in government, and
provision should be made to prevent its ascendency."

--Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1813.

Quote

"An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war."

Charles de Montesquieu

Live Earth Concerts! Wow! Amazing! Worldwide Concerts! Musicians Showing They Care!

I guess that there are enough people asking about the carbon footprint of the Live Earth concerts for me not to need to bother. And there have already been articles in The Guardian about how people like Sting's wife will take an 80-mile helicopter trip to fly to someone's country estate in order to discuss environmental issues with them. So the whole hypocrisy of the artists thing has also been said. I don't know where this leaves me the lone quasi-unread blogger trying to re-establish a sense of engagement after weeks of stupefaction and quiet desperation in the face of...whatever historians will call this time of ours.

Back to Live Earth. Will it be more successful in effecting change for the better than were Live Aid, Farm Aid, or whatever other concerts were put on to change the world? I don't think so. We are now at the point where symbols and intent and flamboyant displays of concern are I think becoming quite superfluous. We all need to quietly start consuming less and giving more to eachother, basta.