…is nothing new. Think Al Gore for a prime example, or Sheryl Crow. Now Paul McCartney is being accused of hypocrisy:
“The former Beatle has long been an outspoken advocate of environmental causes and animal rights. He is a vegetarian who won’t even wear leather shoes. But now he’s being criticized for having a [Lexus hybrid] car flown to him in Britain rather than having it sent by ship.”
The jet engines used to fly the car to him dumped more carbon into the atmosphere than McCartney would save if he drove only this oh-so-environmentally-friendly car for the next 45.7 billion years. (Okay, I’m not certain about that figure.) But isn’t there a bigger point to be made here?
The most pertinent fact that nobody seems to be pointing out is that the reason McCartney was the recipient of this car in the first place is because Lexus was the sponsor of his 2005 tour of the United States. A tour.
So this “outspoken advocate of environmental causes” along with his entourage, stage, crew, and equipment traveled from Miami to Tampa to Atlanta to Philadelphia to Boston to New York to Washington DC to Toronto to Detroit to Chicago to Columbus to Milwaukee to St. Paul to Des Moines to Omaha to Denver to Seattle to Portland to San Jose to Anaheim to Sacramento to Houston to Dallas to Phoenix to Las Vegas to Los Angeles, and nobody expects us to call him a hypocrite?
Frankly, the sheer weight of the monstrous torrent of carbon emitted by McCartney’s 2005 tour makes concerns over this single plane trip look like a chokingly disastrous attempt at humour.
9 responses so far ↓
1 F.G. // May 15, 2008 at 10:27 am
I agree. Someone who drags thousands and thousands of people onto the roads and into the skies to attend a huge series of concerts for no important reason whatever has no claim to being an advocate of environmentalist causes. Driving a hyrbid, as you say, is a drop in the ocean in comparison.
2 Stephen // May 17, 2008 at 3:31 am
It’s always the same with these types: they are so guilt-ridden that they feel they must make some token gesture to salve their conscience and attempt to take the moral high ground as a result (and of course to act the hypocrit by preaching to the rest of us from their moral high-ground).
Paul McCartney is a sickening creature.
S.
3 Esther // May 18, 2008 at 7:21 pm
This is a piece which tallies very well with the later one you have on altruism versus egoism. It is a similar exposé, on environmentalism rather than altruism (although both can live very happily together). I might pose the same question; in exposing environmentalist hypocrisy, are you making an argument against environmentalism, or are you making the claim that it is very difficult or impossible to live up to the philosophy of environmentalism, or are you merely exposing the hypocrites in the movement while sure that it is possible to live a ‘green’ lifestyle if one really felt passionately enough about it to be willing to sacrifice enough to do so?
4 Roby LaPorte // Jun 19, 2008 at 6:18 pm
WTF, what’s with you guys, McCartney has done more for this world than any of you, by far. A sickening creature? You boys better educate yourselves a little better before you spout off your pie holes to denounce someone who has done as much as he has for the animal kingdom and the environment. In today’s world, how would you do a World Tour that billions of people want to see happen to enjoy his great music? No important reason, how moronic is THAT? Where would this world be without music, his silly loves songs that bring so much joy to this world? So, maybe you should drive your hybrids (I’m sure you got them, right?) to his house to enjoy the awesome Beatle music he and Lennon have given to all of us. This is what he DOES for a living, do you walk to work? Should he carry his shit on his back and walk to his shows, would that make you happy??? What the F**K have you done? I have a good idea of who’s sickening around here… and it sure isn’t him!
5 Roby LaPorte // Jun 19, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Oh, and by the way, love you, John ;0) See ya tomorrow!!!
6 David Monteaux // Jun 20, 2008 at 7:47 am
Roby, I love Paul McCartney too and grew up on the Beatles music. But the point is you can’t tell people to drive hybrid cars for the sake of the environment and then organize a tour that makes the difference between a hyrbid and a regular car look like a drop in the ocean. If you really believe the world is in trouble due to climate change, nothing would be more important than canceling your world tour and explaining to fans why it just isn’t right to do it. I certainly wouldn’t begrudge him that, even as a fan. I agree with John here, but I disagree with some of the comments above (especially ’sickening’). But what John says is true, namely - music or the planet - which is more important? There’s no doubt he’s being hypocritical.
7 dave powell // Jun 26, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I wonder if laurie David still has her private jet?
No matter what the topic I hate celebs spouting off on “issues” as if talent in one area qualifies you to talk about anything else.
I can live with the hypocrisy of being a vegetarian cyclist who flew all the way to florida this year, but I’m not sure I could live with the hypocrisy of driving a prius whilst having the carbon foot print of a small African nation.
8 John // Jun 26, 2008 at 2:23 pm
This has become quite an amusing thread. Roby, don’t worry, I know you love me despite me! And yes, I am getting a Prius (but not because I believe it’ll save the environment - I want to save over $200 per month!).
David Monteaux, I agree with you entirely - if it was important enough an issue and everything Al Gore says is correct, no concert tour could ever be justified on any basis.
Dave, I think you may want to abandon using an ethical argument for cycling now that you’ve been to Florida!
Stick to, “Hey, it’s healthy to ride a bike, okay??? Now leave me alone!”
9 Roby LaPorte // Jul 10, 2008 at 2:50 pm
An amusing thread, indeed! I love the controversy around the whole ‘global warming’ issue. What one man believes can totally contradict another’s theory. The deal certainly is, and I know we all agree on this, we do need to stop polluting (killing) our planet. I just read that the amount of pollution created to manufacture a fuel cell for a hybrid car outweighs the amount of pollution a regular combustion engine car would create during its lifespan on the road. Also, the amount of resources it takes to produce ethanol from corn, and the amount of pollutants created for the production, does more to harm the environment that twenty normal cars on the road every day for years. We need to get this right, right now! If the present administration doesn’t change course, appropriating proper funds into renewable fuels, this could all be in vain, a little too little, a little too late! When we’re talking ‘a drop in the bucket’, McCartney’s tour seems a bit trite to be haggling over when there’s billions of 18 wheelers criss-crossing the country night and day. And the fact is, he needs another car like he needs another hole in the head. Lexus gave the Prius to him, sent it to him, for their own marketing purposes. I believe it is the responsibility of the auto industry and Oil Companies to invest and produce non-polluting fuels and cars to run on them. And we, as Americans, need to push them into it.
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