So, why my antipathy for this organization, which reaches its zenith (or is that nadir?) at the end of January each year in Davos? Well, for one, I cannot trust any forum that smacks so overwhelmingly of the rich, the super rich, the uber rich and every major corporation in the world, with just a sprinkling of politicians, academics, NGOs, religious leaders, a few schlebs (like that poseur of note, Bono) and, of course, the ever-titillated media. And all by invitation only, please note. Hmmmm, interesting that.
Yes, it's all available on YouTube, etc, and, yes, it's supposedly quite well covered by the media (whom we all know to be incredibly impartial, of course) - and, yet, it all smacks so much of elitism. The setting itself, high in the snowy heights of the Swiss Alps, only adds to the rich and smug and elitist mystique. Why don't these ever-so-important people meet in places like Ouagadougou or Kinshasa, I ask?
It all stinks of well-heeled people with way too much power swanning around feeling very self-important and deciding whereto next for the planet for the coming year. Just watching on television the sense of power and wealth is all-pervading and palpable. And that's precisely why I detest and mistrust it all so much. That is indeed where all the power on this planet rests. That is indeed where all the important decisions, both economic and often otherwize, are debated and discussed in very haughty and self-important tones. That is where all the action is, folks. Too much power in too few hands.
And - voila - so goes the ongoing and totally disproportionate power balance that reigns over this world. Whilst they do their power talks and go for their power walks (although admittedly not very far, given how bloody cold it most certainly is in Davos this time of year), the rest of us - all 99.999999999% of us on this this planet - look on as mere spectators or remain oblivious, securing our collective place in world affairs as the plebs with no voice that we no doubt are.
It is not by chance that a diametrically opposed forum, known as the World Social Forum (please click the link in my sites list for the WSF), first met in Brazil in 2001. The WSF meetings are a gathering of social, environmental, human rights, workers' rights and other social and civil society groups and individuals. It has been convened every year since 2001 precisely as a counterpoint to the rampant uber-capitalism and globalization-at-all-costs fervour found at Davos. The Davos party attracts the likes of Warren Buffet, Angelina Jolie and Tony Blair. The WSF party attracts the likes of Noam Chomsky, Corpwatch and Naomi Klein. I know which party I'd rather be at.
So, what was were the 'big' decisions made at this year's meeting in the Alps? Well, turns out that the bigwigs were rather 'sobered' by the recession and had realized that rampant, unchecked globalization, especially of financial markets and banks, may not be such a super-duper idea after all. What geniuses. But, it was noted, there was already less of the doom and gloom felt at the 2009 meeting. The mood was more 'upbeat' (read: smug). Oh, and there were some mumblings about Haiti. How very big of them.
Pascal Lamy, the sinister head of that demonic society-smashing and earth-destroying organization, the WTO, was quoted as saying that Davos was, "a single story, a single place, a single moment...It has created a bonding culture, which is needed in today's globalized planet." If those words don't scare the hell out of you from a man like that, then nothing will.
In closing, just take a look at the brilliant cartoon below, courtesy of toonpool.com - it says everything there needs to be said about this year's meeting at Davos.
Do you get my point?
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