What a fun social game!
This ice bucket challenge has me all atwitter, and I don't say that just because the videos are all over Facebook. I say it because every time I see one I think, Oh goodie, more Internet litter.
Since the challenge started, I bet we've got more people able to explain what a bronzy bikinied girl with a bucket full of ice is than ISIS.
I heard some complaints that people participating in the challenge don't even know what ALS is. Do you know how one bathing-suit clad participant solved that? She said, "ALS is a neurodegenerative disease," with a huge smile on her face. Raising awareness, one Wikipedia search at a time.
And I understand the challenge has raised tons of money. I've seen the figure rise from $2 million, $3 million, and today up to $9.3 million in the past month. That's a lot of money, but something about the whole thing just seems so impersonal and misguided. That's my opinion, and no I can't argue with all that money raised, but I can say that I haven't yet seen a video that made me think, "That person is doing something good for other people."
Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of videos. Most of them scream, "Look at me!" None of them scream, "Look at this disease that I'm here to raise awareness and money for." If I had ALS, seeing these videos where most participants squeeze in their line about the acronym without the slightest idea of what it represents would piss me off, I think.
However, well done, America, with the money raising. It would have really been something though if all this could have happened without the ice and the buckets and the videos. If people would have simply donated because they could and because they realized that the money could potentially help another human being. But that would have made the cause the subject rather than the donor. And that would have required a lot more altruism than this fundraiser is requiring.
New bucket challenge: Do something for someone not because you want something in return, not because you want likes or comments or to pour water on your swimsuited body, but because you can.
This ice bucket challenge has me all atwitter, and I don't say that just because the videos are all over Facebook. I say it because every time I see one I think, Oh goodie, more Internet litter.
Since the challenge started, I bet we've got more people able to explain what a bronzy bikinied girl with a bucket full of ice is than ISIS.
I heard some complaints that people participating in the challenge don't even know what ALS is. Do you know how one bathing-suit clad participant solved that? She said, "ALS is a neurodegenerative disease," with a huge smile on her face. Raising awareness, one Wikipedia search at a time.
And I understand the challenge has raised tons of money. I've seen the figure rise from $2 million, $3 million, and today up to $9.3 million in the past month. That's a lot of money, but something about the whole thing just seems so impersonal and misguided. That's my opinion, and no I can't argue with all that money raised, but I can say that I haven't yet seen a video that made me think, "That person is doing something good for other people."
Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of videos. Most of them scream, "Look at me!" None of them scream, "Look at this disease that I'm here to raise awareness and money for." If I had ALS, seeing these videos where most participants squeeze in their line about the acronym without the slightest idea of what it represents would piss me off, I think.
However, well done, America, with the money raising. It would have really been something though if all this could have happened without the ice and the buckets and the videos. If people would have simply donated because they could and because they realized that the money could potentially help another human being. But that would have made the cause the subject rather than the donor. And that would have required a lot more altruism than this fundraiser is requiring.
New bucket challenge: Do something for someone not because you want something in return, not because you want likes or comments or to pour water on your swimsuited body, but because you can.