Stupid Breast Cancer Awareness Game on Facebook

fitformidlife

Maybe I'm an old crank, but I fail to see how Facebook games do anything useful for breast cancer awareness. Really, I don't even see how awareness itself helps anything as opposed to, say, actually raising money for research or to help victims. Last year, it apparently was women posting their bra color on their status. This year, I liked a friend's random status about using her boobs to get out of a traffic ticket (seemed unlikely, but hey, why not), and got this message:

Oh dear,dear,dear. You should not have liked or commented! Now you have to pick one of the 14 below & post a status. This is the 2014 breast cancer awareness game. Don't be a spoil sport, choose your poison & change your status.1) Damn diarrhea 2)Just used my boobs to get out of a speeding ticket. 3)Anyone have a tampon. I'm out. 4) How do you get rid of foot fungus. 5)Why is nobody around when l am horny? 6) No toilet paper, goodbye socks. 7)Someone offered me a job as a prostitute but l' m hesitant. 8)l think l'm in love with someone what should l do? 9)l've decided to stop wearing underwear. 10)l still love my ex. 11) l really don't know how to tell anyone and l'm sick of hiding it l'm gay. 12) Guess it was 2 good 2 be true l'm pregnant. 13)Just won $7000 on a scratchy. 14)l've just found out l've been cheated on for the past 5 months. Haha...

No, I don't HAVE TO pick or post anything, and of course I didn't do it. Why do people feel obligated to pass these things along like they do the urban legends and fake giveaways? What earthly good does it do for anyone, especially breast cancer victims? It makes me sad to see so much keyboard slactivism instead of things that really do make a difference. Rant over, feel free to ***** slap me for my crankiness and set me right on just how helpful and valuable these games really are.

LizBryant915

I agree that these games don't directly do anything for breast cancer victims. But these games do make breast cancer awareness top of mind (at least for a moment), which I think is probably the goal. But I definitely see your point and agree with it. I did decide to participate, but here's what I did when I passed the message on.
- I added the following message on the end:
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2014 over 230,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, and over 2,300 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men. For more information about breast cancer including resources for breast cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and support, visit www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer.
- On the list I sent out, I deleted the #11 option ("...I'm sick of hiding it, I'm gay."). I did this because I felt it trivialized what it means to come out, which is an insensitive and ignorant thing to do.
That's just my small way of keeping the fun going while doing something I think will add some significance to it. But you know, to each their own!

Daninel88Death

All The Post did for me was cause much unneeded tension in my relationship, because I had no clue this sort of fb game was going on.

lwagnitz

Or the "c*ck in a sock" instagram pictures for "testicular cancer"


....Yeah. I'm sure that's exactly what it's for.






Although I'm not complaining:laugh: .

jenniferjojo

I was so horrified and offended by this game. Especially since I had a breast removed and one of the posts refers to using our boobs to get out of a speeding ticket. Anyone who is involved should be ashamed!

_Terrapin_

Or the "c*ck in a sock" instagram pictures for "testicular cancer"


....Yeah. I'm sure that's exactly what it's for.






Although I'm not complaining:laugh: .

Did it get your attention? If so, it worked

angf0679

I haven't seen that show up by anyone on my Facebook feed yet, The only thing I have seen is the "no make up selfies' which is supposedly something for cancer awareness (according to news articles I've seen) I might have posted a no make up selfie recently, but that was my "snow day comfiness" picture.

jenniferjojo

LizBryant915

To each his own? really? How can you not see the irony in this game.I don't know if you saw the thread, but it is so obviously offensive..also on the list of things to post on ur status for breast cancer awareness "game" was "I just used my boobs to get out of a speeding ticket," Many many women have to say goodbye to a boob or two when they get cancer . Those who participated in the "game" are overlooking the obvious insult to those who had to get mastectomies.
Also one option is, "I really dont know how to tell anyone. Im sick of hiding it. im gay". Thats not funny either. Coming out is a huge challenge for many and rocks their world, foundation and relationships with their family. It causes suicides and hate crimes. This entire thread makes me want to puke. It is not out of the question that someone might post they are gay as part of this "game" and get some very unwanted retaliation. "A father from Texas killed his daughter and her girlfriend because he was disgusted with the former being a lesbian" Wake up PEOPLE THINK BEFORE YOU PLAY THESE GAMES DUMB DUMB DUMB USE YOUR BRAINS WE ARE NOT SHEEP
Well my contribution to breast cancer awareness month is go get your mammogram. I was diagnosed at 39 with my first ever mammogram. The thought of not being around to raise your four young children is no laughing matter.
Since when did breast cancer become a game? Im so sick of ribbons and pink **** really. Lets get screened, lets look at our food sources, lets look at why other countries ARE NOT getting breast cancer...lets promote positive female self images that dont require using our tits to get off a speeding ticket, get a job or gain some other superficial favors.

BraveNewdGirl

Ugh, this makes me sad. If you want to raise awareness, sign up for fundraisers, participate in marathons, share your pictures and stories, but don't post offensive junk on your Facebook status and urge others to do the same.

Athena53

I don't know if I've clicked "Like" on anything on FaceBook. I figure it's just another way for them to harvest data and sell targeted banner ads. (When I included my birth date I got ads for miracle wrinkle-removing remedies and step-in bathtubs. When I deleted my birth year and started posting about sprint triathlons I got ads for athletic gear.) I don't know who's behind most of the "photos" that are really reposted gifs or jpegs that express some thought, joke or political stance. Heck, the name of the page might be "Inspirational Women" and the group behind the page may be harvesting photos and information and selling it to make money for an organization I'd hate. Have you ever noticed that some have grammatical errors that wouldn't be made by native English speakers?

But I digress. I did see one post from a friend about using boobs to get out of a traffic ticket. I thought it was stupid. I ignored it. End of story.

EmbraceTheDarkSide

On one hand, I agree that these things trivialize serious problems... on the other, I see them as targeting a different, new audience that hasn't responded to the traditional approaches.

Its not like they're doing this in lieu of their other fundraisers... in my opinion, this is better than doing nothing

craftywitch_63

Yeah, 'cause we all know education is a bad thing and shame on the Facebook for educating women about mammograms 'cause we all know that playing games never teaches anyone anything.

I haven't played this game and rarely ever go on my Facebook page, but it seems to me, whatever method used to get the point keep breast cancer awareness in the forefront of the public's mind, whether it raises money for the cause or not, is a good thing. My mother died of CA when I was 16. It was not caught early enough because she didn't know the signs/symptoms. My mother-in-law (I ditched the ex-husband, but I kept her as an in-law) died in October 2012 of met. breast CA. She lived an extra 10 years because she DID know what to look for, d/t education.

(And, for the record, I have used my boobs to get out of speeding tickets. I don't have to now, though, because my son and son-in-law are cops, so I use their names instead. )

tmaryam

I said something very similar on my Facebook once and the participants were ready to have me hanged in the street, haha. Seriously though, I DONATE to the charities that need funding, I don't post some silly status on Facebook. That changes absolutely nothing. No one sees a post about using socks for bathroom tissue and thinks, "oh, I better get a mammogram. Thanks, Facebook!"

WHICH, by the way, I am very glad to know was some sort of game because I was so disgusted that my friend would use her socks! :laugh:

histora

I agree, o curmudgeonly OP. It's a useless waste of effort, doesn't educate anyone, and mocks the sexuality and gender issues of a few different groups of people for a rise.

If someone really wants to get people interested in breast cancer awareness, pick a really good education/fundraiser website, link directly to the donation or education page, and state why this is important to you. Otherwise it is just adding to the problem of clicktivism, or internet activism, which really doesn't educate or support anything but gives the user a feeling of having been a part of the solution, which leads to them actually doing LESS to support causes because they feel clicking "like" was just like donating or educating themselves.

What's really hilarious is that just a few months ago, these exact options were floating around, but it had NOTHING to do with breast cancer activism and was just a stupid game, like the giraffe thing.

Dumb. No wonder its popular.

craftywitch_63

If someone really wants to get people interested in breast cancer awareness, pick a really good education/fundraiser website, link directly to the donation or education page, and state why this is important to you.

Ummmmm . . . yeah, except that those playing this game aren't going to do any of ^^^^this unless they are engaged somehow. Even then, they probably aren't but at least now they know more than they did before, even if it's only how to use boobs to get out of speeding tickets.

[the game] gives the user a feeling of having been a part of the solution, which leads to them actually doing LESS to support causes because they feel clicking "like" was just like donating or educating themselves.

I totally concede this point, except that I don't think it will lead many if any of them to do less to support causes, because

Zero (What they would have done before the game) + Zero (What they'll do after the game) = Zero

The only difference? Now it's in their minds and it wasn't before. A little knowledge goes a long way.

(Edited for clarity)

shinymama

I found this thread in a Google search about this AND I have an account here, win!

Anyway, I have a FB friend who posted she won a scratchy for $7000. Everyone believed her and said congrats. No mention of breast cancer at all. I posted that the game does nothing to promote breast cancer awareness and then said I could run around topless, that would promote it! I had a double mastectomy last year.
Now I'm seeing people putting things in their "underboob" and the no makeup selfies. It's not about awareness, it's about showing off.

DawnieB1977

I got annoyed with the 'no makeup selfies' that kept being posted. The majority of people didn't mention cancer at all. Then people eventually started showing a photo of proof they'd donated to cancer research, and with a link how to donate. For a lot of people though, it was just an excuse for a selfie!

I'm well aware or cancer, my mum's in remission for leukaemia. And I never wear make-up anyway!

I didn't even realise those posts about winning money on a scratchy and so on had anything to do with cancer.

sami_83

Last time this 'game' came around I made a facebook status about it. I said instead of participating in this pointless exercise I would rather all my friends go and check their boobs and make sure it's a regular occurence. I told them all about my own scare a year ago, when I found a lump, had biopsies and had an 85% chance of having cancer. I'm one of the lucky ones that don't but what if I had it and hadn't found the lump? Terrifying thought.
Anyway after speaking to friends since then a few have told me they check themselves more regularly now, and they ask my advice on what to feel for. It's not going to save the whole world, but if even one person catches a sign and gets tested then I'm happy. It's also in the forefront of my mind and I've found more lumps and been tested again since then. I talk about it with friends and keep them in the loop. I want them to be aware it can happen to any of us. Complacency is not an option.

Anyway last week the no makeup selfie thing came around and I was tagged, so I did it. Along with the selfie I posted information and links and again encouraged my friends to check themselves. I made a donation too. This is action anyone can take and if a selfie gets people's attention then so be it.

As for the '*kitten* in socks'- that appears to be a thing in the UK where you post the selfie and text a number to make a donation. I think it's great!

PS- go and touch yourself up right now. Consider this your reminder from me! Get to know yourself so if anything changes you will be aware immediately. Go.

darkrose20

Cream with teeny tiny red flowers...








oh...wait.....this isn't FB or 2013....

tmaryam

I found this thread in a Google search about this AND I have an account here, win!

Anyway, I have a FB friend who posted she won a scratchy for $7000. Everyone believed her and said congrats. No mention of breast cancer at all. I posted that the game does nothing to promote breast cancer awareness and then said I could run around topless, that would promote it! I had a double mastectomy last year.
Now I'm seeing people putting things in their "underboob" and the no makeup selfies. It's not about awareness, it's about showing off.

I love how you found your way here. :laugh: I haven't seen any "underboob" or no makeup selfies (YET).

I'm trying to find the right words to say about your double mastectomy. I can't say "I'm sorry" since it likely cured you, so I will just say you are a wonderful, brave, strong woman, and I hope you post some more. :flowerforyou:

loubidy

I don't know, the #NOMAKEUPSELFIE has raised millions of pounds in the UK from everyone taking part making a donation as well!