Let’s see if tweets can change the world

Forgive us our journalistic cynicism, but is there not something that just doesn’t quite add up in the hoopla surrounding the “charity” concert at the end of the year, in which megastar Beyonce commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela?

It’s all part of the BeyGOOD worldwide initiative, which says the occasion is “an opportunity to focus on the power of unity and ingenuity to change our world”. The concert will be held in partnership with the Global Citizen organisation, which is giving out free tickets to “activists and music fans”.

All you have to do, apparently, is sign up and demand world leaders “make major investments to end extreme poverty and take a stand for women and girls”. And you can “earn points” by signing petitions, referring friends or sharing content online.

In return, once you have accumulated enough “frequent giver miles”, you may get rewards in the form of concert tickets.

It all sounds like a lot of marketing hype: since when do you have to be “rewarded” for doing good things for your fellow human beings? And how can we believe the sincerity of anyone who takes part in this?

Let’s see if tweets can really change the world …

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