Ice Bucket Challenge

[quote]1 Man Island wrote:

[quote]tedro wrote:
it encourages narcissistic behavior amongst the donators.[/quote]

You could also argue that it doesn’t encourage it so much as it exploits the behavior of narcissists… if it’s a youtube video of them complaining about their cat vs. this, at least some good can come out of this.

FWIW, I think it’s dumb and wouldn’t participate.[/quote]

Can you exploit it without encouraging it?

I thought when I saw Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos and Mark Zukerberg do it “Wow that water must be cold! Yikes!”

Then I remembered that they’re all billionaires.

[quote]tedro wrote:

[quote]1 Man Island wrote:

[quote]tedro wrote:
it encourages narcissistic behavior amongst the donators.[/quote]

You could also argue that it doesn’t encourage it so much as it exploits the behavior of narcissists… if it’s a youtube video of them complaining about their cat vs. this, at least some good can come out of this.

FWIW, I think it’s dumb and wouldn’t participate.[/quote]

Can you exploit it without encouraging it?[/quote]

I would use the term “capitalize”.

I had a bit of the OP’s reaction too, and actually had a long conversation with my parents about it while I was home over the weekend, but ultimately I’m okay with it.

Sure, I would prefer that people donate to things out of the goodness of their hearts, without seeking attention for it and/or guilt-tripping other people into giving.

I admit that the cynic/skeptic in me wonders if we’re not just shifting donation dollars from one place to another based on whoever’s campaign has gone viral at the moment.

I admit that some people might do this more for the “look at me” aspect. Certainly, some people will claim themselves a holy person for bravely dumping ice water on their head and “raising awareness” of ALS, and then they might well attempt to make you feel guilty for not participating yourself. Whatever. I don’t think it’s a big deal.

Charitable donations ought to be something we’re all free to decide on ourselves; it’s not like the government is going to come knocking on your door if someone called you out in the ice-bucket challenge and you didn’t follow through.

Ultimately, I think it’s a net positive if more people decide to donate something to some worthy cause than would do so in the absence of “viral video fundraising” campaigns. To be honest, I’m far more bothered by the NFL’s shamockery of a yearly “breast cancer awareness” campaign (which makes more profit for the NFL than it does for breast cancer research) than I am by the viral ice-bucket challenge.

[quote]tedro wrote:

The problem is it’s going from a “donate to make yourself feel good”, to a “donate to get more attention from friends and strangers.” How about a little humbleness.[/quote]

You’ve clearly never been to a $10,000/table Charity Ball and watched drunk assholes outbid each other on auction items (or had to do it yourself for business reasons because a big client’s wife is the event chair).

Most charities get the big bucks by stroking egos.

Those college libraries are seldom named after librarians, you know.

I am quite sure that the people with ALS who are benefitting from all this extra funding for charity could care less why someone is giving it. Either way, money is money regardless of the intent given (within reason of course).

Maybe I’m in a less cynical mood about all this because NFL season is finally about to start. And in last night’s Chiefs/Panthers game, the announcer did it and then made (to me, at least) a sincere comment on ALS.

My take…? As long as the organization is scrutinized closely by a legit third-party to make sure the money is mostly going where it should, you have to give the folks behind this idea props. Collecting money is a business. They needed to make themselves stand out above other worthwhile charities. And obviously succeeded.

Let’s not kid ourselves. The majority of human beings enjoy recognition for doing something positive. Charities know this is the grease that keeps the machine running smoothly.

And I know a few people who claim to hate all the attention from things like this, then a minute later will list - without being asked - all the virtuous things they’ve done without bragging about it. Wait a minute…isn’t this bragging…?

I love watching celebrities do it.

That Chris Pratt vid was great.

A local radio guy is doing his own twist on the challenge. Rather than just do it within 24 hours, he’s taking some time to hold an auction for the right to be the person who dumps the bucket on him. His cohost was ragging on him for ‘losing’ the challenge since it’s supposed to be 24 hours but he maintained his position that he’ll raise more money his way and that’s what this should be about; stand up guy in my opinion.

Just think; if everyone poured a bucket of ice water on their heads back in 1940, Lou Gehrig might have survived!

[quote]CLINK wrote:
Just think; if everyone poured a bucket of ice water on their heads back in 1940, Lou Gehrig might have survived![/quote]
Fucking LOL

If someone in California does it is the altruism outweighed by the wasting of water they so desperately need?

[quote]CLINK wrote:
Just think; if everyone poured a bucket of ice water on their heads back in 1940, Lou Gehrig might have survived![/quote]

Winning!!