“ENGLISH adventurer Ben Southall has been landed the ‘best job in the world’ after being named Tourism Queensland’s island caretaker, ending a four-month search. Mr Southall will move into a three-bedroom beach home overlooking the islands of the Great Barrier Reef and will receive a salary package of $150,000 for the six-month contract.”
Great. Good for him. While I run the risk of sounding jealous or just plain bitter, I must comment on this nonetheless. To me, I think they’ve missed out on a great opportunity here to show some humanity and concern for the current state of the world. Sure, America is feeling the brunt of the economic downturn, but other areas of the world are ‘feeling the pinch’ as well. Maybe I’m missing the point here, but this is truly a great job indeed, and pays well to boot. With that in mind, wouldn’t it make a better showing if instead we offered this job to people who REALLY needed it—you know, folks that are truly down on their luck due to the current economy? And let’s not forget the thousands of men and women in third world countries who are suffereing right now. I mean, c’mon, who wouldn’t feel good inside if they had instead read that this job went to Joe Smith, laid-off auto worker from Detroit?
Sure, break out the tiny violins if you must, but to me they have missed a great opportunity here to break out that ‘ambassador spirit’ and do some good; instead, it’s a marketing ploy and not much else.
So Ben, I’m happy for you, really I am. You had every right to take a shot at getting this job, as did the rest of the contestants (you too, Cali). For me, however, I’m leave this just a little disappointed.
