[thechat] GreenPeace gets BullSh*t award

[Bob Davis]

At 10:38 PM +0100 8/30/02, Martin Burns wrote:
>On Fri, 30 Aug 2002, Bob Davis wrote:
>
>>  http://www.news24.com/News24/WorldSummit/0,5733,2-1381_1249322,00.html
>>
>>  African and Asian farmers gave Greenpeace, The Third World Network,
>>  and Biowatch the Bullsh*t Trophy for helping to keep them in poverty.
>>
>>  Interesting look at their perspective, eh?
>
>Cynical bastard as I am, I wonder about the methodology for (a) starting
>the award and (b) choosing the recipient...

Answers:
Someone, more than likely over a couple of pints, spouted off about
the "damn foreigners from Greenpeace - think they know what's best
for us....what bullsh*t...I'll tell you what's good for them is my
boot in their arse...".

More beers and more discussion probably resulted in someone coming up
with a dried turd, a bit of wood and a bit of gold paint. Thus was
born the Trophy. Since it started with a rant abut (whomever), they
got the first one.


>In particular, I wonder who's actually behind Sustainable Development
>Network - claiming in a press releaser that you're a coalition of NGOs is
>very, very easy...

Of course...and I'd be the first one to say that despotism is the
primary reason for hunger and poverty in Africa (just look at
Zimbabwe - that's messed up). I'd also say that government subsidies
create more waste and unfair pricing strategies - but they insist on
sticking their unit in everything, so why should farming be any
different, eh?

Still, It's a pretty interesting idea.

I've heard a little about the idea that our "respect" for "third
world cultures" is, in fact, ensuring that they continue to exist -
warts and all. So, the next time you think, "WTF? How backward can
you be?", remember that you might be perpetuating it out of respect.

In other words - the end results of western colonialism wasn't all bad.

bob

--
bob davis
bob at bobdavis.org
http://www.bobdavis.org/