In to the rubble and destruction of a disaster zone, steps the naked profiteer. As ever, the Evil Corporate Man™ is attempting to make a buck from the survivors in Haiti, and maybe sign them up as loyal consumers for the future.
A credit based shopping company has sent 600 catalogues to Port Au Prince, hoping that leafing through idyllic images of cardigans and cafetieres will bring some comfort and relief to the survivors.
But these aren’t ordinary catalogues; oh no. They’re solar-powered audio ones. And they can play digital quality Haitian Creole to up to 300 people at a time.
A spokesman for the company said, “We’re providing hope and love through consumerism, and all in glorious audio.”
Now, if any of this were true, there would be righteous indignation, and a bit of an uproar that such an organisation was basically attempting to recruit future customers at such a hideously inappropriate time.
But in a very real sense, this is ACTUALLY happening. A US Faith-based group has sent 600 solar-powered audio Bibles to Haiti.
To what end? I’d argue that the organising principle of any religion is to secure money in order to propagate that religion.
Don’t get me wrong; it’s fabulous that this group is sending supplies, water and volunteers, but if Nike did this and began handing out adverts for their sneakers at the same time, it would stink, and everyone would be pointing at the smell.
Donate to the Disaster Relief Appeal here.
