The Bono Complex

Rock band U2’s lead singer Bono is one of the, if not most, popular men in the world. Over the past three decades, Bono has fought political, religious, and ethical battles, claiming to save the world in the name of numerous causes. Most people can tell you who he is, and usually include either “stuck on himself” or “a great man” in the sentence. But why do those opinions form? What has he done to receive titles like Person of the Year [Time Magazine], honorary knighthood, and make the 100 Greatest Britons list? This column, aptly named “The Bono Complex”, is dedicated to discussing Bono and what he has done for/to the world. Who knows, your opinion may change for better or worse.

Paul David Hewson, aka Bono, was raised in Dublin, Ireland by his Roman Catholic father Norman and Protestant mother Iris Rankin. On September 10, 1974 at the age of fourteen his mother died of an aneurysm at his grandfather’s funeral. Throughout U2’s career he has written many songs dedicated to the memory of his mom, including “I Will Follow”, “Mofo”, “Lemon”, and “Out Of Control”. He’s currently married to his high school sweetheart Alison, with whom they have four kids together. He received his stage name, Bono, from his friends when they use to frequently pass a hearing aid shop called “Bona Vox”, and eventually was christened Bono. At first he didn’t like it, until he learned that in Latin it loosely translates to “good voice”.

In 1976, Bono replied to a musician ad placed in his school’s newspaper and joined with The Edge [David Evans], Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. to form what would eventually be named U2. At first Bono played guitar, sang, and wrote the music, but eventually The Edge’s guitar skills improved so much that now Bono only plays rhythm guitar on rare occasions. Early on in U2’s career Bono wrote often about society and politics, but soon this changed.

On November 8, 1987 the infamous Enniskillen bombing took place that killed eleven people and injured sixty three more. In response to his speech that put down the Remembrance Day Bombing during a performance of Sunday Bloody Sunday, IRA [Irish Republican Army] supporters attacked the car carrying U2 and threatened to kidnap Bono. The speech he made ended up on the “Rattle And Hum” film, in spite of being advised to remove it. U2’s next album, “Achtung Baby”, began focusing more on personal experiences rather than politics. Thus began the call of the critics. Many believed he changed his style out of fear.

Since 1999, he has become a leading figure in Third World Debt relief and the fight against AIDS. He has continuously met with world leaders, including Presidents Clinton and Bush of the United States, Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, and Prime Minister Paul Martin of Canada to promote foreign aid to Africa. In May of 2002, Bono took US Secretary Treasurer Paul O’Neill on a tour through Africa. He also went on a Canadian radio station and criticized Prime Minister Martin about being slow to increase Canadian foreign aid. On February 2006, he made an introduction speech for President Bush at the annual National Prayer Breakfast and commented on the United States’ need to increase its taxes to help with aid.

U2 recently moved its multimillion dollar song catalogue from Ireland to the lower taxed area of Amsterdam six months before Ireland removed the tax exemption on musician royalties. Irish citizens complained that by doing this, U2 has made them pay more taxes than if they would’ve stayed under Irish music laws. Paul McGuinness, U2’s manager, made it clear that this is “customary and companies do it to relieve tax burdens”.

Here are some quotes from two well known and respected members of the music community, and what they said in response to what they think of Bono:

“Look at a group like U2. Bono and his band are so egocentric. The more you jump around, the bigger your hat is, the more people listen to your music.” - George Harrison (Beatles)

“I hate this guy’s music, but I like the idea of absolving Third World debt, because otherwise these people are going to die. So if he’s using all that rock star power, well, right on. Like he’s Mr. Africa Third World Debt Guy, which is a huge issue, but now, he’s Mr. AIDS Guy. Well, wait a minute, how did you go from Third World debt to AIDS? It starts to sound like he leaves a lot undone.” - Henry Rollins (Black Flag)

Bono has also been criticized for his connection with the war game Mercenaries 2: "many people around the world have been shocked to find out that you are a part owner, through Elevation Partners, of Pandemic/Bioware producers of “Mercenaries 2”….a war game that simulates the invasion of Venezuela in the year 2007."

Whether you believe Bono is “stuck on himself” or “a great man”, remember this: he is only a man. By bringing attention to the plight in Africa and telling the world about AIDS, Bono has managed to bring awareness to the world about these issues, and has been a philanthropist for those with no voice worldwide.

-HawkaLuigi

Comments

[antareus]

I'm not seeing where the "stuck on himself" part comes from...

[BrianApocalypse]

I agree with antareus here, it's as if you've written an essay and not read it through before writing your conclusion.

[BrianApocalypse]

You should also have summarised "bringing attention to the plight in Africa and telling the world about AIDS" at the end of each paragraph. The way you've written it means that you're bring up new summarisations at the end, which doesn't read as well.

Also, "philanthropist" indicates that Bono has directly given money to charity. While I am sure that he has, the issue is that he has fought for publicity and "give us your fückin' money". Perhaps another word would be more accurate..?

[matalliam]

my opinion, bono should just leave politics to the politicians, he only gets involved in this type of stuff fr his personal gain, he talks about how we need to save the environment by cutting down on buying fuel, but then he goes and send his favorite hat on a first class seat on a plane so it would get delivered to him. and the way he tells us to give money to africa, if he really cared he donate his own money instead of going on commercials telling us who struggle with money problems to give money.
i hate the guy

[Korzack]

matalliam wrote:

my opinion, bono should just leave politics to the politicians, he only gets involved in this type of stuff fr his personal gain, he talks about how we need to save the environment by cutting down on buying fuel, but then he goes and send his favorite hat on a first class seat on a plane so it would get delivered to him. and the way he tells us to give money to africa, if he really cared he donate his own money instead of going on commercials telling us who struggle with money problems to give money.
i hate the guy

DITTO. Such a hypocrit. I mean, even if he decided 'I'm gonna give a penny of the royaltis i make from hereon in to OXFAM' then it'd be a more honest start, although tbh he'd have to pass up on his gold-plated toilet there.

[blackcatz]

"If the world is saved, it will not be saved by old minds with new programs. If the world is saved, it will be saved by new minds with no program." - Daniel Quinn

Those of you who have an earnest desire to save the world, I suggest you read the novel "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn. Be warned though: You will never see the world the same way again. And this is not a cheesy advertising technique, by the way. You will literally be changed. Believe me, I know.

[Instrumetal]

This reads more like a fact sheet or a timeline than a debate about a "complex".

Not that well written, bud, sorry.

[yam]

I remember something jeremery clarkson once said,

explaining how eco freindly something was, " the tickets are made out of recycled paper, and the stage will be lit by the light that shines out of bonos arse"

[woobow]

i agree with the instrumetal guy, u started talking about bono's charity stuff and then u sorta went on to a biography, and it didn't really have anything to do with the topic.

[thebrewfan]

matalliam wrote:

my opinion, bono should just leave politics to the politicians, he only gets involved in this type of stuff fr his personal gain, he talks about how we need to save the environment by cutting down on buying fuel, but then he goes and send his favorite hat on a first class seat on a plane so it would get delivered to him. and the way he tells us to give money to africa, if he really cared he donate his own money instead of going on commercials telling us who struggle with money problems to give money.
i hate the guy

yeah cause I bet you totally know how much money he donates.

[hairypineapple]

Gew on the Irish

[nightrain28]

Bono...like politicians...takes any minor event or problem, totally ****ing exacerbates it for media attention..then cashes in on it. Absolute shamelessness.

[nicodimus]

even if he is cashing it in, you can't deny the fact that he's brought millions of people's attention to the real problems in the world. and that is pretty amazing, even if he is a hypocrite

[SylvaShredder]

i agree nicodemus ^ who cares if its for his own ****ing personal gain? he still donates shit loads to cool causes like AIDs prevention (i dunno what else he has done because i could really care less)

Checked.

[mkfx]

i think that if this dude is going to criticize the way that tax dollars are spent, and attempt to change it, then he should at the very least pay his ****ing taxes instead of evading them.

[CobenBlack]

agree with most of the stuff, i thought u'd talk about the bono complex as the title says rather than the bono stories - part 1 the condensed ass licking version

It was more of a biography about what he's done, etc, and about himself.

[beagle]

i dont like him either,paul weller was quoted as saying that bono must have someone around him strokin his ego daily, couple of things i just dont get;how come neither him or his family ever make the tabloids unless he wants it,cant be that squeeky clean! , his best mate looks and dresses same as him (strange), he retracted his mobile number from jonny burrels (razorlight)phone 2 weeks after jonny saved it to his(access to technology we dont yet have)and he gets cotinous play through all radio channels (postman must be busy with the royalty cheques)SO PART WITH THE CASH BONO beats me how you can be that big and avoid the newspapers once or twice a month!!

[the boogieman]

c.r.e.a.m

bono is simply doing what he feels necessary to get as much cash as he can

[strong_wizard]

Well he's getting attention to causes which otherwise wouldn't have it, with the way the media works nowdays. Whether it's for his benefit or not is irrelevant, it's like complaining that just because he's getting a bit of self satisfaction out of all the amount of charity work he's done- it shouldn't have been done at all. Mirror check time.

[strong_wizard]

beagle wrote:

i dont like him either,paul weller was quoted as saying that bono must have someone around him strokin his ego daily, couple of things i just dont get;how come neither him or his family ever make the tabloids unless he wants it,cant be that squeeky clean! , his best mate looks and dresses same as him (strange), he retracted his mobile number from jonny burrels (razorlight)phone 2 weeks after jonny saved it to his(access to technology we dont yet have)and he gets cotinous play through all radio channels (postman must be busy with the royalty cheques)SO PART WITH THE CASH BONO beats me how you can be that big and avoid the newspapers once or twice a month!!

All you've done is speculated on nothing...

Checked.

[Sloopy]

You wrote he was born in '74 and joined U2 in '76? At the age of two??

Sloopy wrote:

You wrote he was born in '74 and joined U2 in '76? At the age of two??

Where does it say that? I said at the age of 14 in '74.

[ConDan]

i think that if this dude is going to criticize the way that tax dollars are spent, and attempt to change it, then he should at the very least pay his ****ing taxes instead of evading them.

Dude if he would have stayed in Ireland he would have been paying no taxes at all so at least hes paying them and Bono has probably donated more to charity then any of you so you should be saying stuff about him when hes doing more for the world then you guys

[ConDan]

i think that if this dude is going to criticize the way that tax dollars are spent, and attempt to change it, then he should at the very least pay his ****ing taxes instead of evading them.

Dude if he would have stayed in Ireland he would have been paying no taxes at all so at least hes paying them and Bono has probably donated more to charity then any of you so you shouldn't be saying stuff about him when hes doing more for the world then you guys

[blueskid99]

two words
ONE;RED
at least Bono actually starts,manages,and gives plenty of money to campaigns that take care of situations like poverty and AIDS.i didn't read anywhere in anyone's responses about "edun",his clothing company that sends all profits to poverty relief.you should really look up facts before you bash someone based on opinion...

[surethingmrvai]

who cares....

[losing battle]

THECLASHROCK1 wrote:

**** you guys he's great better than the shit head druggie singers everybody else likes

That druggie singer doesn't decide to be a douche and gouge the living hell out of his fans for every show he does. I forget exactly how much tickets for Bono "the great humanitarian" cost. Its important to note that the druggie doesn't waste the people's time being preachy. If i were to spend 100's of dollars to see a show in the nosebleed section and i think most people on UG would agree. They better play the whole damn time and not tell me to donate money. Besides as we all know money alone does not solve the worlds problems. I remember that they wanted that much, and these were football stadiums and arenas. I didn't want to know how much the floor seats cost for Mr. Africa. As for all of the people who think Bono is a "great man" take a damn good look at how he treats his fans.

[JeffWiredBeck24]

Strictly stylistically speaking, this really isn't that well-written. I'm not bagging on you, let's make this criticism constructive. Did you give it a few extra proofreads after you finished? Did you do any edits? It really does read more like a timeline then an opinion piece.

[JeffWiredBeck24]

*... timeline than; sorry can't edit.

[cody 0893]

i think this all means that although bono has put alot of money into his cause we should donate money because even if we have no money we have more than others although i think first we should help the people in america first as we impact them the most

[The Man Himself]

The only way you can change the world is by making your own world better, people will be inspired from that and make theirs better too. Bono needs to suck it up and actually move to Africa and help out and stop preaching to everybody else. Words are just bullshit, all that really matters is what you do and if all you do is talk about it then nothings going to happen. I think the harsh truth is that there is always going to be really ****ed up stuff in the world but the only thing you can do is be good person and make the most of your own life and be there for the people you care about, we can donate millions of dollars to Africa but not one bit of it is going to matter unless people are actually willing to be proactive. Bono making people feel guilty about all the problems in the world just to get attention is a really shitty thing to do, I shouldn't feel bad about being well off living in North America because theres problems somewhere else in the world, I can only do so much and my money isn't going to save the world.

[farcry]

critics panned him for changing out of fear... can you blame him?

[Learn_to_fly]

savage garden pwnz u2

[JohnFrusciante8]

We all got to do our jobs don't we?

[Firenze]

Enjoyed the article, but I still think he's a twat.
9/10

[dann_blood]

Article could have been a bit better written. Couldve put in a few more things that Bono has done that we frown upon.
About the man himself, I hate him. I don't know how much money he donates to charity, but he could be doing a hell of a lot more than what he does.
Furthermore, hes in a rock band, not holding "make poverty history" rallies. Play the concert, maybe make a few small statements at the end of the show.

[fireoptic]

Good article. I'm impressed that it's completely unbiased.

[PendulousThread]

Its funny how he's all about ending poverty etc... but his music is so pretentious and bland that its only middle class w***ers (that would never part with their money) that actually listen to it

[Mr. Altoid]

I agree with the people who are dissing Bono.

fireoptic wrote:

Good article. I'm impressed that it's completely unbiased.

Sarcasm much?

Checked.

[rednightmare]

The Man Himself knows what he's talking about. Why give monetary aid to a country that just bought a load of tanks off Russia?

[phillyguitar]

this article has nothing to do with it's description, which made it seem like the author was going to juxtapose the two views of Bono: world philanthropist or a conceited man who shouldn't wear pink sunglasses. This article should have been called, "The history of U2: and some mild refutation of criticism against Bono."

[Barkeeper]

mkfx wrote:

i think that if this dude is going to criticize the way that tax dollars are spent, and attempt to change it, then he should at the very least pay his ****ing taxes instead of evading them.

You and a lot of other people make a mistake, U2 moved their business to Amsterdam, not Bono. U2 is Bono PLUS The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen and Paul McGuinness.

[Guitarfoo1!1]

I think he gets the "stuck on himself" persona because of his on stage antics. Personally,when I saw him live he performed and spoke to the audience with an air of arrogance that nearly made me want to vomit, and I quit listening to him shortly after. His philanthropic pastimes are admirable, but its hard for me to believe he is involved with them for any other reason than a sense of self-righteousness. But in my opinion, solving the AIDS crisis or Third World Debt is great regardless of intentions. I am just annoyed that he holds his vocal ability so high that his inflated ego distracts from the actual music. But that is just my opinion. I am sure he is a good guy, world fame does different things to different people.

[Barkeeper]

LeZeNkO wrote:

Bono is an ass. "YEAH MAN! WORLD PEACE AND ALL THAT SHITE.....LETS MAKE DONATIONS TO AFRICA, U GOTTA WAIT TIL I BUY MY £2000 SUNGLASSES THOUGH! I WANNA BE COOL!

He it in this speech he gave last night:
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/splas h.html

[Barkeeper]

^*He mentions it

[jeowy]

personally i think this article is extremely biased in favour of bono and theres too much biography (which we could easily find out through wikipedia) and not enough objective evidence for or against bono's case.

[scud133]

ok Bono has been going to Africa on a regular basis since the 80s. When his foundations raise money, he goes to africa to see where the money is going, and making sure it is wisely spent on stuff that people actually use (like malaria pills and mosquito nets and education about AIDS and stuff). His foundations purchase these goods on a MASSIVE scale and gives them to the people for free.

Not only that, but he also meets with world leaders and convinces them to forgive African debts ($25 BILLION at the G8 summit).

So he is fixing problems at the national gvt level (debts) AND at the ground level (disease prevention materials for ordinary people).

I don't see how anybody could possibly criticize him for doing this...

[Edde]

^ he wears sunglasses inside buildings. + his name sounds like 'oh knob' when spelt backwards

[ADropps7]

The Man Himself wrote:

The only way you can change the world is by making your own world better, people will be inspired from that and make theirs better too. Bono needs to suck it up and actually move to Africa and help out and stop preaching to everybody else. Words are just bullshit, all that really matters is what you do and if all you do is talk about it then nothings going to happen. I think the harsh truth is that there is always going to be really ****ed up stuff in the world but the only thing you can do is be good person and make the most of your own life and be there for the people you care about, we can donate millions of dollars to Africa but not one bit of it is going to matter unless people are actually willing to be proactive. Bono making people feel guilty about all the problems in the world just to get attention is a really shitty thing to do, I shouldn't feel bad about being well off living in North America because theres problems somewhere else in the world, I can only do so much and my money isn't going to save the world.

I agree 100%

[scud133]

he wears the sunglasses because his eyes are f'd up:
---
"Very sensitive eyes to light," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"If somebody takes my photograph, I will see the flash for the rest of the day. My right eye swells up."
---

so yall are all retarded

[Slooj]

why doesn't he just donate like 100k to africa, its not like he can't afford it

jeowy wrote:

personally i think this article is extremely biased in favour of bono and theres too much biography (which we could easily find out through wikipedia) and not enough objective evidence for or against bono's case.

Not everything can be equal mate.

Checked.

[Crack_Hitler]

I don't know how you can write an article on Bono and not write at least a whole paragraph on how he's got his head up his own ass...

U2 aren't that great, and Bono is just a preachy douchebag.

[Ambrosio256]

1) This article is very poorly written and has no informative content whatsoever. I doubt this would get past if the author wasn't a mod.

2)Raising awareness? Well, woopy-freaking-do. Awareness really means alot. It gives people a sense of self-righteousness and inflates their ego, but guess what, no matter how much 'awareness' you raise, it's all bullshit. Words are just words, noone actually gives a ****, and things aren't changing at all.

3) You're complete miseducated tools if you think that Africa is a poor continent and your money is going to do any help. Africa's governements are without a doubt THE most corrupt in the world. Your money is NOT going to accomplish jack squat, especially in such a corrupt money that can afford buying shitloads of weapons from Eastern Europe.

[Ambrosio256]

such a corrupt governement*

[vanceboy]

wow, sorry to see this bashed so much. guess i see what the majority think of bono...

i read the part where his mom died while at the gramps' funeral...man, that is something to go through. good biography overall, decently written, props to ya for trying to educate UG on....Bono, a daunting task that few (if any) could do successfully

[Barkeeper]

Slooj wrote:

why doesn't he just donate like 100k to africa, its not like he can't afford it

He probably donated that amount multiple times already. I don't know where you guys got the idea from that he doesn't donate himself.

[TheUnholy]

Bono is a true great, but this article is pathetic. PATHETIC. It has no value. It's not even well written:

"He’s currently married to his high school sweetheart Alison, with whom they have four kids together."

I mean, learn bloody English man. There's no reason for this article to be published at all.

[beagle]

[qu

ote]strong_wizard wrote:

beagle wrote:

i dont like him either,paul weller was quoted as saying that bono must have someone around him strokin his ego daily, couple of things i just dont get;how come neither him or his family ever make the tabloids unless he wants it,cant be that squeeky clean! , his best mate looks and dresses same as him (strange), he retracted his mobile number from jonny burrels (razorlight)phone 2 weeks after jonny saved it to his(access to technology we dont yet have)and he gets cotinous play through all radio channels (postman must be busy with the royalty cheques)SO PART WITH THE CASH BONO beats me how you can be that big and avoid the newspapers once or twice a month!!


All you've done is speculated on nothing...[/quote]

[beagle]

speculated?...or just not sittin on the fence?
i do realise we need these types of people to raise awareness on different issues but some idols mis-interpret the adulation from fans as love personaly directed at them. when i buy a gig ticket or a cd its for the music, the face doesnt need to fit.

[beagle]

scud133 wrote:

he wears the sunglasses because his eyes are f'd up:
---
"Very sensitive eyes to light," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"If somebody takes my photograph, I will see the flash for the rest of the day. My right eye swells up."
---

so yall are all retarded

all that cash and cant get his eyes sorted??

Checked.

[whitebluesboy]

"Bono does not talk about himself in the third person". - Bono

[rock_all_night]

well, it's an ok biography, but as an "complex" article it lacks speculation and anylsis.

Anyways, I think bono is a great guy. It's true that him and his band,U2, do seem a little egotisitic, but y'know there only human after all. This may seem a little niave but i think that Bono has helped spread awareness of not only world problems but an example of charity.

[rock_all_night]

^but also an example

[Perforator]

Poorly written article. Either write something objective about his history or give arguments for your opinion on the subject, but this way it doesn't make sense at all.
Btw, I think Bono is doing good work regardless of his ego which is undoubtly pretty huge.

[broken_bottles]

He made his money, what annoys me is that people feel they have a right to say how he spends. If he wants to give to or promote charity, then so be it.
I'd love to see everyone stuck on their moral high horses when they get saddled with that much cash.

Awful, awful article by the way. No sense of structure, forthought or point of view.

[toxic_monkey]

Poorly written.. it seemed rushed.
For everyone thats talking sh*t about Bono, just shut up already! Keep your comments to yourself. Fine, you don't like the gy, thats OKAY, just don't go bashing him. He's done some good tings with his life, so just get over it.

[Timefore]

matalliam wrote:

my opinion, bono should just leave politics to the politicians...

If we ever do that - we'd be in a dire situation. Politics are about the people and we shouldn't leave it to some (mostly) bureaucratic, often hypocritical men and women who seem to talk out their ass.
Oh, and the article; poorly written but has an interesting idea - Bono seems like he has his own sort of mental complex.

[whitebluesboy]

In all seriousness I will agree that this is an awfully written article with barely any structure, no sources, and a point of view that is all over the place and doesn't clearly address either side.

[pyritmann]

well so everyone hates bono it seems yet u like all these other rockstars who are spend all of their money on drugs and all that crap. Well actually i like all of them too. but bono actually does something worth while and so what if hes a stuck up snob, at least he isn't a stoned stuck up snob like almost all other lead singers.

[Kizna]

What if you speak about someone more polytical and social person like Fermin Muguruza?

[troyponce]

Thinking that the World Bank will alleviate African poverty is like telling that drunk chick at a party to finish her beer since it will make her feel better. You end up falling farther into the downward spiral that has already been established.

The World Band offers loans with interest rates that simply can't be paid back by these nations on any reasonable time frame even if they were being utilized properly, but on top of that, the money goes to countries where the leaders are clearly going to do nothing more than advance the interests of their own ethnic or religious minority bloc. This creates more tension, more violence, less stability, and more failed states that now also have this extra debt to deal with. You want to help Africa? Get the US to stop subsidizing farms and compete on a level playing field in the market. If you want to listen to some easily swayed and manipulatable Irishman rant about how poverty is bad, then Bono is the impressionable and childlike guy for you.

[Declan87]

don't be so naive, if bono donated all his money to africa, he might be able to help a few villages, but by using his status to spread awareness, he can, and does, actually make a difference.

[Perforator]

Well troyponce does have a point that just pumping money in it isn't going to help. You have to give them a chance on the world market.

[PopNFresh07]

Hawkyaluigi wrote:

Bono has managed to bring awareness to the world about these issues

That's the thing: no one needed him to do so. It's something that people who should know already know, and if there's someone who didn't know then they probably didn't deserve to know in the first place.

And even though what he's done is fact, its all opinion on whether or not you think what he's done is important; the arguments in this particular column are no different than ones in a best guitarist thread from the pit.

[rufusdoors]

When all is said and done Bono is a showman,probably the best ever,he puts it to great use so get of his back.

[troyponce]

rufusdoors wrote:

When all is said and done Bono is a showman,probably the best ever,he puts it to great use so get of his back.

Not really. Putting aside your comments about how he's the best showman ever and how I could rant on that, that's not what he boils down to. He's a guy who pretends to be well educated and intentionally attempts to be political. He's naive and supports an organization which harms those whom he wishes to help. Agree or disagree with his politics, at least Tom Morello is well read and takes productive steps to follow up on what he preaches. Not trying to make this a bash Morello-fest, just saying that some musicians are Harvard educated and understand realities of politics and sociology. Others speak about poverty in ways that make them seem fit to compete for Ms. America.

[MaxerJ]

troyponce wrote:

rufusdoors wrote:

When all is said and done Bono is a showman,probably the best ever,he puts it to great use so get of his back.
Not really. Putting aside your comments about how he's the best showman ever and how I could rant on that, that's not what he boils down to. He's a guy who pretends to be well educated and intentionally attempts to be political. He's naive and supports an organization which harms those whom he wishes to help. Agree or disagree with his politics, at least Tom Morello is well read and takes productive steps to follow up on what he preaches. Not trying to make this a bash Morello-fest, just saying that some musicians are Harvard educated and understand realities of politics and sociology. Others speak about poverty in ways that make them seem fit to compete for Ms. America.

Ouch. That smarts.

Except, i can't see Bono leaning on my shoulder, bawling his light-sensitive eyes out over your hurtful comments...

Do you know why?

Because he doesn't care.

Because he knows, like most of the world who hasn't been put off U2 because their parents listen to it so obviously it must be 'uncool', that he is making a difference.

A lot of people have been saying that he should leave the politics to the politicians. What are politicians anyway? Nothing more than glorified accountants. In this consumer-run age, politicians are nothing more than figureheads for logging and fast-food companies.

Bono, you say, is a man of contradictions. He spends thousands making ads that tell others to spend thousands on poverty-stricken countries - why doesn't he just use the money he made the ad with on the same countries?

Because one man with over $500 million still doesn't have as much as 2 billion people with $5. Easy math.

If Bono became an Australian citizen and ran for Prime Minister, I would vote for him.

If Bono became an American citizen and ran for President, I would immigrate and vote for him.

Because he, in his blunt and showy way, is making the point that none of you seem to get - there is something wrong with the world.

Trust humanity to rant on about a single man who has actually worked hard to get where he is today and is now using that power to help others in need.

Yes troyponce, Bono has no idea what he is doing. But it's working, and no amount of yelling at him is going to pull him down into the short poppies.

[MaxerJ]

troyponce wrote:
If you want to listen to some easily swayed and manipulatable Irishman rant about how poverty is bad, then Bono is the impressionable and childlike guy for you.

Just as an added thought, there is no such thing as a manipulatable Irishman.

[EatsP1es]

see, i have no issue with bono donating money to africa, and he's perfectly entitled imo to put on concerts or whatever to raise money to be sent there. Where I draw the line, however, is being told - essentially - that we are all selfish if we are not giving money to africa.

we know there are problems in africa, people who state that he 'educated' the world or 'opened their eyes' to what is going on in africa must truly live in a small small world; did you never go to school and get taught about africa? are you incapable of using google? and i suppose africa is never ever mentioned on the news or on adverts in regards to its poverty stricken regions?

come on people, he's just another man preaching a message which we've heard a thousand times, except he has a bigger soapbox on which to stand...

I have donated money to charities doing works in Africa, but I will bloody well choose when and to whom I give my money, as opposed to basing it upon the words of a man who has yet to say or do anything which causes me to hold him in higher regard than the next man.

oh, and I dislike U2's music, but that's off topic (and is nothing to do with them being a band from my parents' era) =P

[MaxerJ]

Goody, healthy debate without the use of 'ur a fag'

Are we selfish if we do not give money to Africans? I don't think so. But as Bono said in his Liberty Medal speech (http://www.constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/splash.html) , we should contribute what we can - our creativity, our science, our technology, and our money. The thing is, if you and i are able to read this post, it proves three things:

1. We can read and write.
2. We have access to the internet.
3. We are rich enough to buy guitars, a luxury item.

Of course people know about the plight of Africa. Only problem is, humans have a tendency to walk around with their fingers in their ears.

Enter someone we would all at least acknowledge: a rock star. (yes, he is. You don't have to make hard and fast music to be a musician.) This rock star is noisy, old, and dedicated to what he does. He is rich, yes, he doesn't give every cent he owns to combat poverty, but he cares(in the Liberty medal speech, he is excited about how the number of Africans helped by D.A.T.A has risen from 1 million to 1 and a quarter million. would you be that excited?), and he has given more to Africa, both in money and time, than anybody here ever could in their lives.

And btw, if you don't like the music, don't bring it into the argument. The problem with the comments on this article is that all these people think that uniting in hate of someone who they see as an egocentric overachiever entitles them to pay out his every move.

[EatsP1es]

yeah, i can accept and appreciate that Bono will have made an impact for the better upon the lives of many many people

i like to think that what I've offered on a monetary front will have had a positive impact on at least one life.

now, on a point of interest, what good does relieving 'the debt' *actually* do? (thats not rhetorical) that's something i could never see any actual point in, besides it sounding good (which is something bono - as with all political activists - seems to be rather good with)

[Imp]

Are you mod types even allowed to check your own articles?

[Ali-b912]

the idea of this is that we post our ideas on whether bono is a dickhead or jesus v2 so stop saying to stop insulting him or promoting him, thats the point. i personally reckon what hes doing is good but hes also up his own ass so far his head comes out his mouth. and also why the hell is he being awarded 100k for that stuff. why isnt it sent straight to charity. its probably instead going to, his plane home, the bill for his hotel and about half of it goes to that DATA thing. i reckon about maybe 3000 bucks of that will make it into african aid. he seems to be a speaker but not a doer. i would rather he shut the **** up and go and fix everything without all the crap.

[woobow]

everyone seems very cynical. the bottom line is bono may be arrogant but you can't criticise someone for giving time and money to charity, whether its to boost his reputation or whatever.

[bassetrox]

I'm just glad that the recent (ish) live8 concerts finally gave the band enough publicity to drag themselves out of the underground scene they have been forced to play in for the last 30 years.

Imp wrote:

Are you mod types even allowed to check your own articles?

Yes we are.

Checked.

[MyChemicalTonno]

music should be different from politics, that's all... bono should think to sing instead of doing the politician

[TheUnholy]

^ Sorry about formatting. Tried to be too clever, I think :p

[troyponce]

MaxerJ wrote:
Ouch. That smarts.

Except, i can't see Bono leaning on my shoulder, bawling his light-sensitive eyes out over your hurtful comments...

Do you know why?

Because he doesn't care.

Because he knows, like most of the world who hasn't been put off U2 because their parents listen to it so obviously it must be 'uncool', that he is making a difference.

A lot of people have been saying that he should leave the politics to the politicians. What are politicians anyway? Nothing more than glorified accountants. In this consumer-run age, politicians are nothing more than figureheads for logging and fast-food companies.

Bono, you say, is a man of contradictions. He spends thousands making ads that tell others to spend thousands on poverty-stricken countries - why doesn't he just use the money he made the ad with on the same countries?

Because one man with over $500 million still doesn't have as much as 2 billion people with $5. Easy math.

If Bono became an Australian citizen and ran for Prime Minister, I would vote for him.

If Bono became an American citizen and ran for President, I would immigrate and vote for him.

Because he, in his blunt and showy way, is making the point that none of you seem to get - there is something wrong with the world.

Trust humanity to rant on about a single man who has actually worked hard to get where he is today and is now using that power to help others in need.

Yes troyponce, Bono has no idea what he is doing. But it's working, and no amount of yelling at him is going to pull him down into the short poppies.

So far the only thing I have said about U2 as musicians or performers was that declaring Bono the greatest frontman of all time was contentious, which it certainly is. That being said, we can totally ignore that, as I am not here to talk about Bono’s on-stage merits.

The issue here is when you say “he is making a difference.” You are outwardly ignoring my statements while decrying my argument as invalid. Let me say this again. The World Bank is bad for impoverished nations. So is the WTO. These are organizations that Bono speaks highly of, and recommends donating to. However, both work to western advantage and end up doing far more long-term damage to failed states.

While Nigeria, geographically the largest failed state, ranked the 7th most severe as of this year I believe, will get aid, it is dispersed amongst the people by Yar’Adua and his cabinet. It is almost all going to Fulani dominated areas. Obasanjo, his predecessor, was respected as one of the great leaders of Nigeria for no reason other than peacefully ceding power in ’79, and again this year. He was still remarkably corrupt by western standards, accused of rigging elections, and sending disproportionate amounts of money to Christian and Yoruba areas. As you could assume, this inflames age-old racial tensions that are also combined with modern issues such as rights for oil located in a minority bloc’s territory or water rights of people that are downstream. When these factors build upon each other and are combined with the militaristic and “Big Man” nature of Nigerian politics, you can see how this leads to more instability. Foreign aid is doing little more than spurring on ethnic conflicts, and then charging crushing interest rates on top of it. That’s the World Bank, which Bono so heartily supports.

Nigeria’s economy is largely based on oil. Well, that’s an understatement. Oil makes up 80some% of the national income. Why don’t they diversify? Well, they used to have a very powerful agricultural sector. They are still number one in all of Africa for farm output, which places them at 19th in the world if I recall correctly. Despite that, they still depend on imports for food. This is certainly tied to rapid population growth, but that’s just one part of the problem. The real issue is that western nations subsidize the hell out of their own farms and therefore undercut Nigeria and other developing nations on the world market. Who lets this happen? The World Trade Organization. Who lends money to Nigeria’s historically mismanaged and underproductive agricultural sector with unreasonable interest rates? Survey says… World Bank.

You make a point. Bono does see something wrong with the world. I do too. The difference is that I don’t pretend to have an answer for it while unintentionally trumping the agenda of nations who stand to benefit from economic oppression. Bono has worked hard and I’m sure he means well, but he is doing damage to those who need significant reform rather than having a Eurocentric agenda pushed upon them.

[Guitar_Poet]

Whether you believe Bono is “stuck on himself” or “a great man”, remember this: he is only a man. By bringing attention to the plight in Africa and telling the world about AIDS, Bono has managed to bring awareness to the world about these issues, and has been a philanthropist for those with no voice worldwide.

oh, as if the world was ignorant about these issues until bono came around... come on. IMO hes an egocentric prick... im sure he means well, but that doesnt mean he hasnt been an idiot.

TheUnholy wrote:

^ Sorry about formatting. Tried to be too clever, I think :p

And I accidentally removed it.

Most don't even want to mess with this. I'm an open guy 90% of the time.

[pimpslap1236]

um...where is he full of himself? i dont think even you understood what you were trying to get across by saying that.

[darkfire_storm]

BrianApocalypse wrote:

You should also have summarised "bringing attention to the plight in Africa and telling the world about AIDS" at the end of each paragraph. The way you've written it means that you're bring up new summarisations at the end, which doesn't read as well.

Also, "philanthropist" indicates that Bono has directly given money to charity. While I am sure that he has, the issue is that he has fought for publicity and "give us your fückin' money". Perhaps another word would be more accurate..?

well, based on the roots of the word, Philanthropist translates loosely to "lover of people" or something close to that. so really, it doesnt exactly mean he's given them money, that would be more of a benefactor or something, it just means that he cares about those people.

[POP_MUZIK]

beagle wrote:

scud133 wrote:

he wears the sunglasses because his eyes are f'd up:
---
"Very sensitive eyes to light," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

"If somebody takes my photograph, I will see the flash for the rest of the day. My right eye swells up."
---

so yall are all retarded



all that cash and cant get his eyes sorted??

my god im so sick of this bullshit against bono his a music legend he has achieved what most bands never achieve in a legendary status!

he donates because he has experience a bad upbringing but not as bad as the africans he knows he can do better thats why! he has formed 2 charities one with no % going to him the other one 5% goes to the companies for there products.

he gives over 25 million a year to charities(not his own) he helps to get people to sign a bill that are against human rights crimes he does it at the concert so people will listen

and the reason why his into pollitics as a musican is because he cant get voted out and has a bigger support group than a pollitian like bush does he can get more done because his a rock star so he cant get voted out.

and for **** sake every rock star has an image like bono and his sunnies buddy holly had thick rim glasses beatles had the suits zztop had beards and slash has his hair,hat and ciggerette my god get over the fact that he wears sunnies why dont you have ago at blind people like ray charles! his eyes are ****ed its redeye it cant be fixed to those people who think it can it keeps occouring and only some sunglasses stop it that are uv protected and if u have the money why dont you buy ****en expensive ones! i own a pair of the armani sunglasses that bono wears(not ones he did wear the same type)

you people can hate him for bullshit reasons you cant back up but seriously he has done more than bob geldof has done bob geldof does it for money and his famous for it bono believes in it! least we have a rockstar not like axl rose where he thinks he is guns and roses bono isnt U2 and he knows it so get your head outta your arses!

[POP_MUZIK]

troyponce wrote:

MaxerJ wrote:
Ouch. That smarts.

Except, i can't see Bono leaning on my shoulder, bawling his light-sensitive eyes out over your hurtful comments...

Do you know why?

Because he doesn't care.

Because he knows, like most of the world who hasn't been put off U2 because their parents listen to it so obviously it must be 'uncool', that he is making a difference.

A lot of people have been saying that he should leave the politics to the politicians. What are politicians anyway? Nothing more than glorified accountants. In this consumer-run age, politicians are nothing more than figureheads for logging and fast-food companies.

Bono, you say, is a man of contradictions. He spends thousands making ads that tell others to spend thousands on poverty-stricken countries - why doesn't he just use the money he made the ad with on the same countries?

Because one man with over $500 million still doesn't have as much as 2 billion people with $5. Easy math.

If Bono became an Australian citizen and ran for Prime Minister, I would vote for him.

If Bono became an American citizen and ran for President, I would immigrate and vote for him.

Because he, in his blunt and showy way, is making the point that none of you seem to get - there is something wrong with the world.

Trust humanity to rant on about a single man who has actually worked hard to get where he is today and is now using that power to help others in need.

Yes troyponce, Bono has no idea what he is doing. But it's working, and no amount of yelling at him is going to pull him down into the short poppies.

finaly some one knows wat he is on about!

and btw mate if your aussie HERE HERE! id vote for the bloke aswell! i think people should respect him for either a pollitican type figure or a rockstar or both i mean why does everyone take the piss outta him cos he cares?

[twisted_angel]

Honestly this is rediculous. The man has done a lot of good for the world. If he is or isn't an arrogant bastard its really irellevent. People will always hold predjudices against others, if you don't like him who cares!

The point is that he has in fact contributed a lot to the world in a positive way. 'The man himself' said earlier that , "The only way you can change the world is by making your own world better, people will be inspired from that and make theirs better too." I agree but only to an extent. What is the world around you people? Anyone can have a huge influence on people all over the world. If you want some good to happen in this world then get out there and do it stop whinging about other people's attempts at trying to do the right thing.

In relation to giving to charities and the such, sure some of the money that has been donated has gone to things that have not been productive to third world poverty and aids awareness (eg. corrupt governments, buying weopns, etc.) but out of all that money don't you think that it is helping people who need it? After all if one person's life has been changed for the better by someone elses actions then it has not been a waste. I'm no tree hugger or some extremist but to save one persons's life I would give away my life savings to so. It would be worth every dollar.

What bono has done in Africa and his other endevers has ultimately been a good thing and I think that is what is inportant to take into consideration. Has he contributed to mankind in a positive way? For Sure! Stop whinging about him. Overall he is a good bloke.

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi!!!!

[NiHellsBells]

"Opinions are like *******s...everyone has one and they all stink." Clint Eastwood

This is to all those on this board who obviously have no facts to back up their harsh criticism but choose to speak out loud and pollute their environment with with negativity instead of shutting up.

I don`t have to be a fan to acknowledge a person`s actions who is a big part of music history and tries his best to give a voice to people who don`t have one.

[mobious128]

Charity, good.
Horrible, Horrible music that causes babies heads to explode in utero, Bad

[DoctrDrew116]

I won't say anything about the charity stuff or his ethics or whatever but Bono is what you would call modest. He claims U2 is the best band in the world. I just hate the guy because he's so full of himself. And the part about Bono meaning good voice in Latin, I don't think he deserves that title. I have nothing against the rest of U2 though.

[LuizU2]

i think Bono is a good man that knows what he´s doing, he maybe isn´t the most modest person in the world but he´s been doing his job and who cares if he uses his money for campiagns or no.
i think some persons are just jealous of Bono because he had success, he can´t be thinking about himself all the time because if he does he won´t care other peolpe and won´t participate in the campaigns. So I leave all of you with these, so you haven´t had any success and make you sometimes feel superior or something, all of us arte human and we can make mistakes, I think you´re in some partes wrong but well every person has its own way of think.

[LuizU2]

Bono is a respectable man, are you jealous of him, i think that is, you don´t have to criticize bono or U2, bono has done a lot for much persons, at least he uses his money for good and not for something stupid, they have done very good music and it´s not their fault if they have a lot of money. So stop criticizing him.

[LuizU2]

i think Bono is a good man that knows what he´s doing, he maybe isn´t the most modest person in the world but he´s been doing his job and who cares if he uses his money for campiagns or no.
i think some persons are just jealous of Bono because he had success, he can´t be thinking about himself all the time because if he does he won´t care other peolpe and won´t participate in the campaigns. So I leave all of you with these, so you haven´t had any success and make you sometimes feel superior or something, all of us arte human and we can make mistakes, I think you´re in some partes wrong but well every person has its own way of think.

[benedge89]

do you have to be poor, just getting by, with no luxuries at all to have a sense of social justice?

re: the arrogance... u try and be the frontman of the biggest band in the world for 20 years... it wud get to ur head

[lukesteele]

I went to see U2 in Sydney here last year. Tried to buy backrow seats for $72, read that they were no longer available. So I bought $120 tickets next row down from back. Turn up to the concert, ever ****in back row seat was empty! Nice to see U2 extracting every buck they can from their fans..****ers! Thats ok I can download their shit for free hahaha

I'm proud of you guys.

*wipes tear from eyes*


Checked.

[mr barnicals]

ok, so the guy wants to make people who are struggling even poorer and give there money to poor people, which, will continue to be the exact same because for the last few years a heap of orginizations have been set up for AIDS africa, and poverty in africa and stuff like that... and not even with all the orginizations combined has africa prospered. so i guess bono is stupid in that sense. but he has tried, and i think that's all he felt needed to be done. so screw u bono, oh i like some of the music tho :P

[TheSilentWithin]

'Bono, a mythomaniac, people who wish to convince the world of their worth.The impression that Africa is fatally troubled and can be saved only by outside help—not to mention celebrities and charity concerts—is a destructive and misleading conceit.' - Paul Theroux

"cranks carping from the sidelines. A lot of them wouldn’t know what to do if they were on the field. They’re the party who will always be in opposition so they’ll never have to take responsibility for decisions because they know they’ll never be able to implement them. " - Bono's response

Interestly enough, Paul lived in Africa for dozens of years as a Peace Corps Volunteer and as a teacher.

FOR ALL YOU IDIOT BONO FANBOYS
People don't criticize him because 'he's trying to help'
People criticize him because he only does more harm than help. He recruits sheep into supporting western companies that give loans to Africa at ridiculously high interest rates and with a very short amount of time to pay their money back.
Bottom line, either Bono is just as stupid as all the critics and political analists say, or he's a very corrupt man.

This is to all those on this board who obviously have no facts to back up their harsh criticism but choose to speak out loud and pollute their environment with with negativity instead of shutting up.

Actually... Every single person who criticized him so far did so by presenting a constructive arguement, so please stop recurring to straw man arguements or personal insults.

[troyponce]

NiHellsBells wrote:
This is to all those on this board who obviously have no facts to back up their harsh criticism but choose to speak out loud and pollute their environment with with negativity instead of shutting up.

I used facts and logic and am yet to get a response...

twisted_angel wrote:
In relation to giving to charities and the such, sure some of the money that has been donated has gone to things that have not been productive to third world poverty and aids awareness (eg. corrupt governments, buying weopns, etc.) but out of all that money don't you think that it is helping people who need it? After all if one person's life has been changed for the better by someone elses actions then it has not been a waste.

Not really. He's aided institutions that do significant damage to both social and political structures in African countries. In fact, without many of the organizations he supports, many African nations would be on the right track to something at least resembling sustainable development in the next 50 years. While his money may have given vaccinations and AIDS education to a handful of people, Bono continues to support those who created the current situation in Africa through imperialist claims and intentionally poor post-colonial geographic divisions, and who continue to do so through creating an uneven global marketplace.

[bluesblaster]

I think your writing was pretty solid. Just so every other one of these comments doesn't bring you down.

bluesblaster wrote:

I think your writing was pretty solid. Just so every other one of these comments doesn't bring you down.

Ouch man.

[MaxerJ]

This is actually getting funny.

OK, my final point before i decide that this column has been going on for too long:

I don't know exactly how to put this... but i'll try anyway.

I'm sure a lot of people on here would love to be rock gods. I'm not saying bono is one, i'm just saying that many people on this website would like to be one. You can't argue with that, can you?

Now, I don't know if you fantasize about ripping into some massive licks in front of a stadium of chicks who would do anything for you, but sometimes i do.

But that's not all of what my dream to be a rock god is. If i had that kind of power, that stardom, i would want to use it for other's benefit as well. I'm not talking about Africa, (personally i couldn't care about Africa) I'm talking about things that affect and cripple the whole world, like environmental issues, consumerism, imperialism, and McDonalds.

Of course, how does a single person defeat such daunting enemies? He or she doesn't. They use the people, who would follow them anywhere. They show them the situation, and lead them to making a better world.

That's what i would do. But i wouldn't be doing it as a tree-hugging pot-smoker who has five wives. I'd do it by kicking some ass and not giving a sh!t about the consequences. Because that is why tyrannies are better than democracies: In a democracy, many stupid people make many stupid decisions; in a tyranny, one stupid and fairly paranoid person make many stupid decisions. But if you scratched out 'stupid and fairly paranoid', there could be a massive change.

You would have a person who knew exactly what they doing, knew it was the right thing to do, knew that other people may not think it was the right thing to do, knew other people may misinterpret what they were doing, and knew that they may get into some deep sh!t for what they were doing.

I think we all know one famous case of this - 2000 years ago when a man was nailed to a tree for asking if people couldn't just get along.

This comment is open to interpretation. It may, or may not be about Bono. It doesn't matter, because no matter what it's about, Iknow I'm right.

Thankyou and goodnight.

[MaxerJ]

P.S.

-Troyponce, i'm sorry if you thought i was picking on you. You are cool and u know what you're talking about.

-AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!

[troyponce]

MaxerJ, you have the enthusiasm but currently lack the education. You and Bono share those traits.

Read some basic political theory. Get a good, university level reader and power through it. Then learn more history, get a global focus, and lose the eurocentrism. You'll go far.

[NiHellsBells]

I'm sorry not everyone can be as well educated as troyponce, but i'll try to get there and keep on reading...

Bono does not support the "imperialistic" quest of organisations like the WTO and the World Bank. He is not for more loans to 3rd world countries but for the cancellation of those depts, so that profit can actually be used for progress and eventually independence.
Talking to (and not talking highly of) these organisations is essential. Not to would be like wanting to change politics by not voting. I know that they are evil... that's why you want to drag'em out of the dark.

[NiHellsBells]

Found something funny: Fits the forum well
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PXnO_FxmHes

bush singing: sunday bloddy sunday...

[getts182]

If Bono became an American citizen and ran for President, I would immigrate and vote for him.

Bono could never be the US President: you gotta be born in the USA for that one.

[BennyStruggle]

Bono is an example of someone who tries to use his status to help, but in reality he makes things worse. I mean, he is collaborating with "authority" to solve problems that they are starting and maintaining. The latest example of this is his publicity stunts with George W.