Satire or Supreme Distaste?
Cash Advance Mojo appreciates what the United Nations was trying to do, but for satire to work the way it should, one must be aware of the boundaries of good taste. Dance the line, don’t eradicate the line.
What is Refugee Run?
Unfortunately, that’s what the U.N. did at Davos with their little “Refugee Run” theme park. With introductions like this – “Are you looking for a little excitement in your life? Imagine what fun it would be to live through a rebel attack . . . to navigate a minefield … to negotiate with corrupt officials and border guards in a desperate effort to survive” – who wouldn’t want a piece of the fun?
“Are there no prisons?” exclaimed Ebenezer
Refugee Run is targeted at the disconnected world leaders and luminaries who are sheltered from real world conditions by the trappings of their wealth. Perhaps if these leaders were made to understand the conditions their own people actually face in places like Darfur, Congo, Iraq and Pakistan, they would be motivated into action.
Huddle on the floor in a canvas tent
Visit Refugee Run. There’s a canvas tent in Darfur, where you huddle with others on the dirt floor. Move on to a slightly larger hovel, where families pray for their lives. Now you’re in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran. Homeless tent towns like those found in the United States or one hundred other countries aren’t far away from where you sit.
However, most world leaders tended to skip the theme park and headed back to their Swiss hotel suites that came complete with whirlpool hot tubs and gift baskets. And the freedom and financial means to access payday loans if they so desired.
A bit less heavy-handed next time, OK U.N.?
“Can Davos man empathize with refugees when he or she is not in danger and is going back to a luxury banquet and hotel room afterwards?” William Easterly of Aid Watch wrote in one of many scathing reviews.
Yet not all were critical of the display. “The exhibition is artificial, but anything that sensitizes people to the harsh realities of refugees can only be a plus,” said former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N. Secretary-General, called his organization’s efforts ” Refugee Run “a profound experience that reminds us of the plight of millions of forcibly displaced people.” Even mega-rich celerities like Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson voiced their support, calling Refugee Run a statement “beautifully done.”
Hundreds visited, but did they see?
Only time will tell. Fundraising for refugee aid programs continues, and the U.N. remains hopeful that displaced peoples worldwide will eventually discover an acceptable quality of life. Political, economic and self-determination should be basic human rights that all who live and breathe possess. Voting for representative leaders, doing what you desire with your money and making the big and little decisions in your personal life are all part of what make you human. If someone wants a cash advance for extra money until their next payday, they shouldn’t be looked down upon like a refugee. Humans should be in the business of making decisions for themselves.
Related articles
- Hey, Davos Man: If You’re so Smart, Why Didn’t You See this Coming? (blogs.harvardbusiness.org)
- Plea At Davos: Don’t Forget World’s Poor (cbsnews.com)
- Sir. Richard Branson: talks up optimism for entrepreneurs (bizequity.com)
Somehow I don’t think that making some of the world’s wealthy elite sit in a series of tents is going to drive the point across – usually to make a statement that will hit home you have to be a lot more blunt, like dropping them off in Darfur for a week, or getting them to live in South Central LA for a few days without their usual comforts. That might make a lot more difference.