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Posted (edited)

An article decrying "slacktivism" that in itself is slacktivist is supposed to change my mind?

 

An actual person I knew died of ALS recently. I don't need an article about a youtube video about an ALS patient to tell me how I should feel about it. Nor do I need to be told I don't care unless I dump ice water over my head. Some people have dealt with this disease before this social fad, and will continue to after this social fad is forgotten...that's what makes it a social fad.

 

I never said it wasn't a social fad, that's exactly what's made it so successful. It's raised awareness and that's always a good thing. Tens of millions of dollars have been raised as a result of this fad.

 

Personally, I'd rather see more dollars donated and less buckets of ice because frankly, dumping a bucket of ice on your head isn't that big of a deal.. I'd say that it's been a worthy exercise even if it has gone over the top.

Edited by Mike in Syracuse
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Posted

 

 

I never said it wasn't a social fad, that's exactly what's made it so successful. It's raised awareness and that's always a good thing. Tens of millions of dollars have been raised as a result of this fad.

 

Personally, I'd rather see more dollars donated and less buckets of ice because frankly, dumping a bucket of ice on your head isn't that big of a deal.. I'd say that it's been a worthy exercise even if it has gone over the top.

 

Does the word awareness mean "money" to you??? How exactly do you raise awareness??? I highly doubt that anyone dumping ice water over their head is any more aware of anything than they were before... It's a damn fundraiser.... One that requires little effort... Meanwhile, my kids are selling freezer pizzas and candy bars for some BS at the school....

Posted

it's "funny", granted it's only been about 2 hours, but the thread that nominated me has several likes and comments for my friend doing the challenge on video, but no likes or comments on my photo of my donation...

Posted

it's "funny", granted it's only been about 2 hours, but the thread that nominated me has several likes and comments for my friend doing the challenge on video, but no likes or comments on my photo of my donation...

 

 

And there it is in a nutshell. It's mostly about LAMP's on Facebook.

Posted (edited)

And there it is in a nutshell. It's mostly about LAMP's on Facebook.

 

Right, that and the roughly 800% increase in donations over the same period last year.

Edited by Captain Caveman
Posted

Right, that and the roughly 800% increase in donations over the same period last year.

An organization found a way to monetize the average American's need for attention. Good for the ALS foundation. Hopefully, a worthy % of these dollars actually makes it to research.

Posted

Right, that and the roughly 800% increase in donations over the same period last year.

 

Yup and it six months it will be back to what it was originally and these attention whores will have forgotten all about it.

Posted (edited)

Yup and it six months it will be back to what it was originally and these attention whores will have forgotten all about it.

 

Sure, which means the extra millions of dollars were a complete waste.

 

Now get off my lawn.

Edited by Captain Caveman
Posted

Sure, which means the extra millions of dollars were a complete waste.

 

Now get off my lawn.

 

If there is no cure then yes. But Billy Bob sure felt good that by dumping a bucket of water on his head he'd only have to give $10 vs $100.

Posted

..Meanwhile, my kids are selling freezer pizzas and candy bars for some BS at the school....

 

Pizza and chocolate? Send them to my house.

Posted

 

Maybe I misunderstood the article, but:

 

It's never enough. One can't just donate to a charity now. You have to donate more. When does it stop? A percentage of my income?

 

Don't mean to sound like a dick, but no thanks. If/when I donate the money I earn, by working a job that I don't particularly care for, I'll donate it to a charity (or charities) of MY choosing. I won't say anything about it, and won't claim it on taxes.

 

 

Posted

Interesting article.

 

http://qz.com/249649...cket-challenge/

 

Perhaps there's more to his research than he states in the article, but on the surface his conclusion appears flawed. He limits his population to just the people his organization have attracted to donate 10% of their income to charity, a population whose giving tends to be consistent and directly tied to their earnings. You can't draw that same conclusion about the broad population that has donated to ALS during the recent fad, who likely cross a wide range of givers, including many who usually don't give anything to anyone. My donation to ALS in no way impacts what I will or won't donate to other charities. I usually have no idea what I've given in total until tax time; sometimes I'm surprised it's as high as it is, other years I'm surprised what a rotten miser I've been in the past year.

 

Yes, I'm sure some cannibalization exists, but that 50% seems pretty high to me. And even if there is some cannibalization, it's still a net positive.

Posted

If/when I donate the money I earn, by working a job that I don't particularly care for, I'll donate it to a charity (or charities) of MY choosing.

 

I think that basically is what the article is saying. Donate money based on your values / feelings research, not necessarily a fad like this.

 

My feeling is something that gets people to donate money to charity is mostly good, regardless of how many old coots it brings out of the woodwork.

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