John Lennon promotes 'One Laptop per Child' project (approved by Yoko)

[Ichingcarpenter]

Run time: 00:31 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b4GkGMiBDQ   Posted on YouTube: December 26, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 26, 2008 By DU Member: Ichingcarpenter Views on DU: 2323

 
Beatles legend John Lennon makes an appearance in a television commercial 28 years after his death. He promotes “One Laptop per Child” (OLPC) charity and urges others to make a purchase donation.
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With John Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono’s permission, the OLPC project synthesized Lennon’s voice and image and used it in a commercial.

He says in the video ad:

"Imagine every child no matter where in the world they were could access a universe of knowledge. They would have a chance to learn, to dream, to achieve anything they want. I tried to do it through my music, but now you can do it in a very different way. You can give a child a laptop and more than imagine, you can change the world,"

This ad is based on his famous song “Imagine”.

He urges the audience to buy the OLPC's XO laptop and donate it to the world’s poorest children.
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE4BP30U20081226?rpc=64

[ogneopasno]

1. I think this is bizarre. OTOH, I also dislike the charity's idea anyway.

[elehhhhna]

7. me too, both points.

[Kashka-Kat]

2. yeah, besides macabre seems vaguely unethical - exploiting a dead person

Can't believe this made it thru the focus group

Who cares if Yoko approved? Still not a good idea.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. I Appreciate The Sentiment, But...

It's not actually Lennon, so it falls flat. The fakery devalues the message.

I'd much prefer a commercial with actual footage of him, say, singing "Imagine". It's better left to the viewer to decide if Lennon would have valued OLPC.

[Gman]

4. I've got highly mixed emotions about this...

Yoko gave her approval for this, but I have never like Yoko. She broke up the Beatles and I think she's been a money grubber from the day she met John. But John didn't seem to care or he never saw it.

On the other hand, I've no doubt John would have supported this project, and it is a very worthy project.

And, he's been gone so long.

[blogslut]

16. Yoko did not break up the Beatles

And the Lennon fortune vastly increased because of Yoko's business acumen.

EDIT ADD: Just the same, I don't like this commercial and I despise reviving the dead for marketing purposes. Plus, it's not his voice.

[IndyOp]

5. If you don't yet know about One Laptop Per Child - please learn more here:

Zimi's Story - To the person who gave me this XO laptop...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpRRivQgpjc&feature=channel

Give Them The Right Tools
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPC2rbQG--U

The Vision, The Mision
http://laptop.org/en/vision/index.shtml

The children take the computer home and teach their older siblings and their parents how to read and write. They surf the internet, they network with others in their nation. Knowledge is power. Interconnectedness is the way we all rise together.

You can give one for $199 or give one & get one for $399
http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?ie=UTF8&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&me=A34NLXJLC88VVS



John is loving this. I am not sure about the ethics of using his voice for the commercial, I would prefer to have Yoko do a voice over talking about how she knows that John would love this. Still, I believe, that John is loving this - right now.

[notesdev]

6. Imagine there's no exploding batteries

... I wonder if you can...

[IndyOp]

8. The XO has exploding batteries? Link? (n/t)

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. It uses less than 4 watts-most others use 40watts

It has the most environmentally friendly battery
made for a laptop right now.

http://www.olpcnews.com/hardware/power_supply/olpc_power_boost_lifepo4.html


It really is a good project, I just find the commercial a little disturbing
using John in this manner.

[comtec]

12. I have one

and it's yet to splode on me.
The thing gets amazing battery life! and the wireless is always on (mesh concept, everyone shares internet/creates their own)
mind you it's only 900Mhz, but the high contrast screen is great!

Yeah it's a toy for a tech head like me, and the Asus Eee line (and its' rapidly followed clones) are better for real-world use, but it's a really great computer if you're in the middle of no-where.

the device is also tolerant over different voltage inputs.

http://wiki.laptop.org

I bought one and gave one.

[stlsaxman]

10. Kinda creepy... rec'ing anyways n/t

[Iggo]

11. "Approved by Yoko."

Like that makes it okay.

[Political Tiger]

13. I'll have to think about this

I guess it's for a good cause so that's positive. On the other hand, faking John Lennon's voice and making it look like he actually said such words is rather macabre.

[jberryhill]

14. I did a give-one/get-one and gave away the one I got...

...for a give-one/get-one/give-one.

I think it's neat that, not long from now, those email messages from the widows of dead Nigerian dictators will be coming from kids who need it the most.

[Ken in SF]

15. Really? A poor kid needs a laptop?

OLPC has done some amazing work on their technology, work that is likely to benefit people like you and me. But there is a glaring flaw in their logic and their model.

In the developing world, you don't put the most expensive, most valuable asset a family may own into the hands of a child. Sorry if this sounds arrogant or patriarchal but having spent time in Africa, I know that its true. If a family needs money to pay school fees and for health care, those laptops will likely be sold and converted to cash. (Another harsh truth--with a few small exceptions,everyone everywhere lives in a CASH economy).

Technology is great, but wrong technology used in the wrong way won't solve anything. Have you ever been to a school in a developing country? They need books. And blackboards. And chalk. And paper and pens. And teachers who are well trained and well paid. In the hierarchy of needs a laptop wouldn't place in the top 100.

The laptop is very cool--no argument there. Their motives are good. I don't doubt this either. But its a case of Feel Good over Real Good. We all go "awww isn't that cool" and ignore the realities of the place and the gaps in the logic.