Red

I read about the campaign that Bono, Oprah and others have kicked off called the "Red" campaign. There are selected items, (i.e. the iPod) being sold in a new red version. If you buy one, proceeds go towards the One Campaign.

I am a big fan of Bono. I am a huge fan of the One campaign. But I find the Red program troubling.

From what I understand, the stars are basically saying "Hey, we know that you're going to buy stuff. We know that we can't defeat consumerism. So go ahead...buy...get more stuff...and we'll try to take some advantage of that to raise some money. Now, this may or may not actually be what they are saying, but from my angle, it is what it sounds like.

This bothers me. I don't think we need to sell out to consumerism. Is this not merely treating the symptoms of the problem, rather than treating the problem? Is this not "buying into" buying? It seems to me that much of our problem really is rampant consumerism. It is the attitude that "I can buy happiness...if that takes resources away from someone else, well then, so be it."

I'm troubled and a little disappointed.