Bono Book

[jamieking]

anyone know anything about this? i over heard someone at the grocery store the other day mention something about a book Bono and his journalist friend put out....i cant really find anything on it...if anyone has any information let me know!!

Thanks!

[slaneman]

Here ya go

http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=3847&Key=bono&Year=2005&Cat=

[slaneman]

Well I'm half way through the book and enjoying it immensely. I was laughing out loud on the metro this morning. There are lots of little amusing things you will not have heard elsewhere. Some fascinating insights into some lyrics choices, band member interaction, and the irrepressible Bono at his relaxed best.

I don't think you could get more up close unless you met him in a pub.

I recommend it highly.

[i_love_emma]

book is wicked... i read it in like 2 days... very amusing in parts... how deep is Bono really?

[onlytranslating]

i also had the chance to read it too, loved it

[Carl]

I haven't had a chance to read it but I've seen it around.  I'll try and take a look at it when I have a bit more time.

Has anyone read "the end of poverty"? I figured it'd make a good balance to a thomas friedman book I had to read recently.  Another alternative would be "globalization and its discontents" by stiglitz.

[Butter7]

It's a very interesting book to read ...it made me laugh out loud.  

I like their early stories, but not really interested in his politics, campaigns stuff. I do think what he did is good, but I'm not 100% agree on the reasons/evidences he provided.

eg. I think Edun is a really good try, but it cerntainly is not the best way (foreign investment) to save africa. Not one Edun, 100 Eduns could not do it either. Edun is better than pure aid, but it is just another type of aid anyway. Africa needs to learn how to produce something really African.

[Carl]

Well Edun is really more of an off-shoot, something his wife is doing.  I don't think it is really to "save" africa, but it provides good wages and decent working conditions and some money goes back - better than a sweatshop at least.

Most of what he seems to be going for is debt relief so these governments can do things for themselves, or medical aid to directly save lives... he's not a huge fan of traditional aid (though in the past a LOT of it was given for political reasons rather than socially beneficial ones).  

btw - one of the most popular ways for developing countries to grow economically is export led growth... which is often producing very identityless generic western products.

[Butter7]

Originally posted by Carl
btw - one of the most popular ways for developing countries to grow economically is export led growth... which is often producing very identityless generic western products.

This one is a really good point. But will people want to buy them? I think one economy must find it's own position to survive in the global market. Some one gets place like exporting Hi-Tech products, some one gets place of producing clothes, food, daily necessities. ..etc...

Africa needs to stand on their own feet and fight for the position.

Does it make sense?

[Carl]

Well Americans are buying up the cheap textiles/manufactured goods coming out of China.  Most of us don't care if they were made in Kansas or Shenzhen - just if it is of an acceptable quality for the price.  So I'm not quite sure marketing "uniquely African" products would really have a place in western markets.

Yes I agree with them standing on their own two feet, but right now the situation is really stacked against them.  They've been screwed with by the West and the least we can do is even out the playing field so they can compete fairly.  Having FDI is a valid growth booster that many nations (including China) have benefited from.

I agree that countries that can provide a stable environment will do better and ultimately that change has to come from within, but considering the basic medical and infrastructural work that has to be done I don't see it being harmful to at least eliminate debt so they can focus on their own economies and have drugs/education to reduce the burden and loss of life to them.

The old model of Aid has shown to be mainly ineffective, and change does have to come from (or at least embraced) from within... I think Bono's work is paving the way for that to happen.  He doesn't shirk what has happened in the past.

I think we agree in our basic ideology, just perhaps impact certain parts of it differently.

[Butter7]

I agree with you Carl that the old Aid model can't do much help, but I just think the condition is quite ... funny.

Except AIDS, which in some point, still our of our control - I mean, we can't cure it. But things like Dets, like lack of food...How come these become problems?

Debts - just don't pay it.
Food - grow it

In some extent, I don't understand the condition. More or less, I think African countries should take some blame.

FDI can help the economy grow, but it can't save people from starvation.  Just like...people could strength their body by taking vitamin pills, but can't live on it. FDI is vitamin pills for Africa.

Take China as a example, people spent more than 20 yrs to solve the living problems then the FDI started coming in and the economy was growning really fast after that. Africa could try another model, they may not need 20 yrs to do the preparation if the FDI is friendly enought, and wanted to help them to solve the living problem as well. But all capital is profit oriented. They are not Charity, therefore if they don't think they could make a profit, they will not invest.

I knew few people around did investment in Africa, but according to their feed back, the condition is quite tough.