Muhammed Yunnus gets Nobel Peace Prize

[Fig]

And it's a well-deserved win, no question about it.

As the saying goes..."Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime." This man has been, metaphorically, teaching millions to fish (and people have taken up and extended to other parts of the world his ideas), thus advancing the cause of world stability.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061013.w2npeace1013/BNStory/International/

 

[McGraw]

Winners like him damage the credibility of the Peace Prize. While his pursuits have been highly commendable, he is far from a peacemaker. The Nobel Committee should withold the honour if there are no suitable canditates; to maintain its value. What the Peace Prize stands for is muddled enough already.

 

[Fig]

Bullshit.

There are more ways to advance the cause of peace than ending wars. Increasing stability by fighting poverty is one of them, and rewarding it is appropriate enough.

 

[Mozz]

No argument here.

 

[McGraw]

It irritates me that you should readily dismiss my reply as being "bullshit". By your reasoning anyone who benefits society is elligible to win, so why not rename it the "Society Prize", the "Conscience Prize" or something similarly more fitting.

It's named the Peace Prize for a reason. It is awarded to the individual "who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity among nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses". While I am perfectly aware that peace can be achieved through subtle means, does Muhammed Yunnus fit the brief? It would appear that they've stretched the definition of the Peace Prize so far that only the "Prize" part really means anything nowadays.

In no way am I inferring that his work should not be commended, but is it wrong to question the need to present the Prize every year, to lesser candidates? The Committee have witheld the award on 19 occasions in the past, but never in the last two decades. Would it be too cynical to notice the happy coincidence of the current political climate and the winner being Muslim? Am I mislead in accomodating the possibility that the Nobel Committee may have an agenda beyond slapping the backs of the best and brightest? Hmm...