I'm at the Pasadena Auditorium, waiting to get into the annual 'Idol Gives Back' special, thanks to a neighbor who works on the show. I had the brilliant idea of writing about the NGO who's benefiting from tonight's show, till I realized that's silly if you are watching the show tonight!
Well, that was written from my Blackberry as we waited for our seats. The show was fantastic. Yes, it was fun seeing Carrie Underwood, the Black Eye Peas, and Elton John. Annie Lennox, who was stuck in London because of the Icelandic volcano eruption, had a video streamed, and she was the artist who really struck a nerve. She had visited a 7-year old girl who was dying of AIDS, and had already lost her mother. The girl weighed about the same as a 1-year-old, and yet she looked as if she were in her 70s. Months later, Lennox visited the same girl, who had improved immensely—she was healthy, almost chubby, her skin was luminous, and she looked even more happier, already lucky to have the most cheerful disposition.
Tonight I realized that those who equate sustainability with over-population are misdirecting their energy. Alleviating poverty does not have to mean moving everyone into a big house with a huge car. By improving the lives of millions across the globe, we will be ending much human misery, the consequences of which cannot be quantified. And if you are worried about birthrates, the more economically stable a family becomes, the less children that family will have. And then of course, there are the resources children in the developing world use when compared to those in the United States and other developed nations: estimates I have seen say the ratio is anywhere from 1 to 5 to even 1 to 15.
Better farming methods prevent erosion and soil degradation. Giving people clean water reduces disease while allowing for more productivity. And providing electricity and light, which is often possible from technologies such as solar, has ties to education, and yes, birthrates.
AIDS has already wreaked its vengeance on Africa and is pummeling other nations. Seeing the families that have been wrecked, I think focusing on overpopulation is entirely missing the point. Better land and resource stewardship is the key, albeit a complicated, tricky one.
Your realization from last night’s Idol show tells me the show was successful, not only in dollars, but message, as well.
It was a great evening, showing how lucky we are and how far we have to go. And of course, Elton John was great! LK/GGP