3 ms·

Absolutely. Coca-Cola (the drink, not necessarily the company) is a scourge and always has been. Giving access to Coke to everyone is the last thing we should

by jzwinck 12y ago

Absolutely. Coca-Cola (the drink, not necessarily the company) is a scourge and always has been. Giving access to Coke to everyone is the last thing we should want, but it is happening. The One World Futbol the article seems to think is good costs $40 for two, and is supposed to serve the poor? How does that make sense? The truly poor make footballs (soccer balls) from garbage; will a $20 ball do anything really positive, or will it be used as a status symbol and perhaps stolen? Another weird thing: the article praises the Casio F91-W wristwatch which is supposedly a favorite for making bomb timers. Sure it's ubiquitous but they could have picked something without such a troublesome reputation. There is here an idea that people in the third world ought to have what people in the first world have. In some cases they might be better off without.

ac2u 12y ago
I think his point was that in some cases the idea is to let the product get out there and let the people themselves decide as consumers, rather than someone arrogantly deciding that they would "be better off without".
rm445 12y ago
The football clearly hasn't been fully commercialised. A durable foam moulded ball is one of those ideas that's super-obvious but requires just the right material to actually be fun to kick. Surely once the right polymer and foam density have been found it can be churned out for pennies.
- jacquesm 12y ago
  Except that it does not bounce the way a normal air filled ball does.
- JeffL 12y ago
  I have a One World Football, and I have to say that it's pretty nice. I like the weight, the bounce, and the feel, especially for headers. I would use it in a real game if I could convince anyone else, but they all think it looks too weird or is a Nerf ball or something. It's almost the the last step they need is some kind of cover to make it look like the balls you see on TV.

by jzwinck 12y ago

ac2u 12y ago

I think his point was that in some cases the idea is to let the product get out there and let the people themselves decide as consumers, rather than someone arrogantly deciding that they would "be better off without".

rm445 12y ago

The football clearly hasn't been fully commercialised. A durable foam moulded ball is one of those ideas that's super-obvious but requires just the right material to actually be fun to kick. Surely once the right polymer and foam density have been found it can be churned out for pennies.

jacquesm 12y ago
Except that it does not bounce the way a normal air filled ball does.
JeffL 12y ago
I have a One World Football, and I have to say that it's pretty nice. I like the weight, the bounce, and the feel, especially for headers. I would use it in a real game if I could convince anyone else, but they all think it looks too weird or is a Nerf ball or something. It's almost the the last step they need is some kind of cover to make it look like the balls you see on TV.