I do not like the ice bucket challenge. Its not about hating on a charity or the fact such a charity exists or the fact that the challenge has helped bring attention to a terrible disease or raise money for it. Where the dislike for me comes in and why I feel it is totally idiotic will probably anger some, while others will say Im overreacting. But here it goes anyway. School shootings bring attention to bullying, but they are not celebrated or encouraged, nor should they be. Active shooters bring attention to mental illness and gun control, but they are not celebrated and encouraged, nor should they be. Robin Williams suicide is helping people open their eyes to addictions and depression and helping the masses better understand high profile celebrity deaths, which in turn helps everyone to better understand all those around them that take their life directly or indirectly due to addiction and depression. But does that mean suicide on a worldwide stage is celebrated or encouraged? For those that scream that those are stretches and too extreme, let me go a different way before getting to my point. Chain letters, the sharing of false information or passing on unknown files is frowned upon in our society. Misinformation, the potential of viruses and identity theft are obvious serious issues. But you can even add the sharing of any information that the reader did not ask for or want that they deem inappropriate or too much of an advertisement to the list as people feel it is too intrusive. Same can be said about social media friend requests and phone calls or people on the side of the road begging for change or people going door to door with flyers or things to sell - even if any or all of these are for a good cause such as starvation or homelessness. Its too intrusive. People dislike PETA because they get in your face about animal rights. Their tactics are deemed too obscene. Many bad mouth and make fun of the Jehovahs Witnesses and the Black Muslims for their leaving reading material around and sharing their beliefs on a guerrilla level. As a whole, I think it can be said most dont like when others try to force their beliefs on them. Now lets move on to the ice bucket challenge. Its a viral smash hit and money is coming in by the boatload for ALS, which is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Bravo! Its bringing money to a good cause. Thats great. Or on paper it sounds that way. But regardless, I dont care how much money comes in or what the cause is, I dont have to like this campaign. And I dont want to hear another person say it is a brilliant one. One, its not because the popularity of it is due to the whole concept being a failure. Two, its the most intrusive way Ive ever seen anybody raise awareness and funding with an act of bullying. Let me get this straight, I record a video dumping ice water on my head, which is an unabashed display of wastefulness, because Im not donating money. In the video I name people that have to either donate or video themselves dumping water on their head and they have 24 hours to do it. Did I get that right? Did Jigsaw or The Joker come up with this? So a narcissist makes a video doing a lame and tame Jackass stunt. (These type of things go back decades if not even further. It was who can drink a gallon of milk when I was in high school.) That narcissist then cyber bullies others against their will to perform the stunt or give to a specific charity, which started the whole chain. Donate because its a good cause? No. Donate because its the right thing? No. The lesson here is be bullied into donating or be shamed and keep the chain going by bullying or shaming others. Viral and in our faces. But its bringing awareness, right? Wait, what charity is it? What does ALS mean? What is it? I seriously doubt most that are happily dumping water on their own heads in hopes of video views know the answer to these questions. They are just jumping on board the band wagon and in this regard the challenge is bringing less awareness about the disease than the horrible things I mentioned above brought to those other issues. So is it bad that a stupid gimmick has caught on and has helped bring in money to a donation? No. Not at all. But I personally do not have funds to donate to ALS. If I did, it should be my right to donate to whatever charity I want. We Are the World was what charity events are about. Farm Aid is what charity events are about. Unity. Togetherness. Coming together because we want to for a cause. Not because we have to. Im sorry, but to me, shaming and bullying dont have a place in charity work, and just because something brings awareness or raises funds for something that needs it dearly, doesnt mean its acceptable. This campaign of follow the leader actually could be seen as quite dangerous. Sure, its a charity, so its fun. But what happens when its something more intrusive or dangerous next time? A charity has now laid the ground work and the nation has followed in a game of fear, shame and attention. See where this could go? Im sorry, thats not brilliant; thats scary and I dont like it.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 06:55:37 +0000
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