Ice Bucket Challenge, Ribbons, Wrist Bands, etc....

I prefer to donate quietly

Does your $100 donation somehow do more for something than someone else's because you did it quietly?

Nah I didn't mean that.

Honestly I do understand the hype surrounding some of these big events because that they raise a lot of money, which is great. But I stand by my comment about the people donning colorful t-shirts & wristbands often just doing it for show or because someone in their workplace suggested they do a walk...I've known so many people like that, who really had no interest in raising funds but saw it as a social thing and a way to have some photos on social media to show how they're so charitable and a real "activist"...that's the kind of attitude I'm shunning and trying to relate with OP on that level.

When I said "donate quietly" I just meant...for example if someone I know well is doing a walk/run/fundraiser, I would rather just give them a cash donation directly or do an anonymous donation to their team online. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to brag about how much I donated (which isn't a ton, granted) although I DO see the flip side of telling others which causes you support and possibly gaining more supporters that way. It's just not my style. Same with volunteer work...I would rather do something that seems not so glamorous or fun but benefits people in some way, every single week/month, than go once a year to a charity gala to get a photo in the regional magazine proving to my business network how much I support X, Y, or Z.

My friend has a foundation and she sells wrist bands, bandanas, bumper stickers and T-shirts to raise money. She can buy everything but the T-shirts for about $1 and sell them for $5. That's a 500% profit for her foundation, which is very small, all volunteer and all money raised goes toward helping break cycles of dysfunction in families. So, I don't think she cares why people buy and wear those things, only that they do.

Most of the people I have seen post videos have not said how much they are donating, so in what way are they bragging?

While I have been aware of ALS for as long as I can remember and know plenty about it, it isn't a cause that has been at the forefront of my mind. Now I know how underfunded research has been, and despite that, I know the kinds of breakthroughs have been made. Imagine what they can do with more money, which this campaign has brought them in droves.

And if you have a breakthrough for one neurological disorder, you can use it to help people with other neurological disorders, so not only ALS benefits from this.

Quit trying to make people doing a good thing feel bad about it just because it isn't how you would do it.

I prefer to donate quietly

Does your $100 donation somehow do more for something than someone else's because you did it quietly?

Nah I didn't mean that.

Honestly I do understand the hype surrounding some of these big events because that they raise a lot of money, which is great. But I stand by my comment about the people donning colorful t-shirts & wristbands often just doing it for show or because someone in their workplace suggested they do a walk...I've known so many people like that, who really had no interest in raising funds but saw it as a social thing and a way to have some photos on social media to show how they're so charitable and a real "activist"...that's the kind of attitude I'm shunning and trying to relate with OP on that level.

When I said "donate quietly" I just meant...for example if someone I know well is doing a walk/run/fundraiser, I would rather just give them a cash donation directly or do an anonymous donation to their team online. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to brag about how much I donated (which isn't a ton, granted) although I DO see the flip side of telling others which causes you support and possibly gaining more supporters that way. It's just not my style. Same with volunteer work...I would rather do something that seems not so glamorous or fun but benefits people in some way, every single week/month, than go once a year to a charity gala to get a photo in the regional magazine proving to my business network how much I support X, Y, or Z.

My friend has a foundation and she sells wrist bands, bandanas, bumper stickers and T-shirts to raise money. She can buy everything but the T-shirts for about $1 and sell them for $5. That's a 500% profit for her foundation, which is very small, all volunteer and all money raised goes toward helping break cycles of dysfunction in families. So, I don't think she cares why people buy and wear those things, only that they do.

Most of the people I have seen post videos have not said how much they are donating, so in what way are they bragging?

While I have been aware of ALS for as long as I can remember and know plenty about it, it isn't a cause that has been at the forefront of my mind. Now I know how underfunded research has been, and despite that, I know the kinds of breakthroughs have been made. Imagine what they can do with more money, which this campaign has brought them in droves.

And if you have a breakthrough for one neurological disorder, you can use it to help people with other neurological disorders, so not only ALS benefits from this.

Quit trying to make people doing a good thing feel bad about it just because it isn't how you would do it.

The whole point of this thread was the OP asking if others have felt emotionally hijacked by these fundraisers and awareness efforts. And the answer, despite many comments to the contrary, is yes. SOME people share OP's feelings.

I'm not here to debate the validity of charity organizations or profitability of fundraisers or "try to make people feel bad".
I don't think every person wearing their arm band and t-shirt to support (insert disease here) has their heart in the wrong place. Some do, some don't. Whatever.

I'm here to share my *feelings* on this topic with the OP. And I know that for some people all of the very public stuff makes them feel (in the words of OP) emotionally hijacked. There are guys out there who lose their mom to breast cancer and have pink ribbon decals all over their cars and tattooed on their bodies. Does that mean they loved their moms more than my husband loved his? No. But we're told many times that "this is what grief and healing looks like"...people running in pink t-shirts to raise awareness. It doesn't look the same for everyone.

I'm done with this because I'm really not interested in debating or arguing, when it comes to peoples' feelings there's no point driving home the statistics of a successful awareness campaign. I was just trying very hard to share an unpopular point of view.

So, you don't like people telling you how you should grieve, how you should respond to tragedy or how you should support a cause, but you're complaining about how others do it?

You're upset that someone else dealt with losing his mother by putting ribbons on his car because somehow that makes you think you have to?

You know what makes me feel "emotionally hijacked"? My friend who sis 38 with a wife and two children who got diagnosed with ALS last year.

I'm so sorry you feel bad about people pouring ice over their heads. I'm sure that is comforting to the people suffering.

I prefer to donate quietly

Does your $100 donation somehow do more for something than someone else's because you did it quietly?

Nah I didn't mean that.

Honestly I do understand the hype surrounding some of these big events because that they raise a lot of money, which is great. But I stand by my comment about the people donning colorful t-shirts & wristbands often just doing it for show or because someone in their workplace suggested they do a walk...I've known so many people like that, who really had no interest in raising funds but saw it as a social thing and a way to have some photos on social media to show how they're so charitable and a real "activist"...that's the kind of attitude I'm shunning and trying to relate with OP on that level.

When I said "donate quietly" I just meant...for example if someone I know well is doing a walk/run/fundraiser, I would rather just give them a cash donation directly or do an anonymous donation to their team online. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to brag about how much I donated (which isn't a ton, granted) although I DO see the flip side of telling others which causes you support and possibly gaining more supporters that way. It's just not my style. Same with volunteer work...I would rather do something that seems not so glamorous or fun but benefits people in some way, every single week/month, than go once a year to a charity gala to get a photo in the regional magazine proving to my business network how much I support X, Y, or Z.

My friend has a foundation and she sells wrist bands, bandanas, bumper stickers and T-shirts to raise money. She can buy everything but the T-shirts for about $1 and sell them for $5. That's a 500% profit for her foundation, which is very small, all volunteer and all money raised goes toward helping break cycles of dysfunction in families. So, I don't think she cares why people buy and wear those things, only that they do.

Most of the people I have seen post videos have not said how much they are donating, so in what way are they bragging?

While I have been aware of ALS for as long as I can remember and know plenty about it, it isn't a cause that has been at the forefront of my mind. Now I know how underfunded research has been, and despite that, I know the kinds of breakthroughs have been made. Imagine what they can do with more money, which this campaign has brought them in droves.

And if you have a breakthrough for one neurological disorder, you can use it to help people with other neurological disorders, so not only ALS benefits from this.

Quit trying to make people doing a good thing feel bad about it just because it isn't how you would do it.

The whole point of this thread was the OP asking if others have felt emotionally hijacked by these fundraisers and awareness efforts. And the answer, despite many comments to the contrary, is yes. SOME people share OP's feelings.

I'm not here to debate the validity of charity organizations or profitability of fundraisers or "try to make people feel bad".
I don't think every person wearing their arm band and t-shirt to support (insert disease here) has their heart in the wrong place. Some do, some don't. Whatever.

I'm here to share my *feelings* on this topic with the OP. And I know that for some people all of the very public stuff makes them feel (in the words of OP) emotionally hijacked. There are guys out there who lose their mom to breast cancer and have pink ribbon decals all over their cars and tattooed on their bodies. Does that mean they loved their moms more than my husband loved his? No. But we're told many times that "this is what grief and healing looks like"...people running in pink t-shirts to raise awareness. It doesn't look the same for everyone.

I'm done with this because I'm really not interested in debating or arguing, when it comes to peoples' feelings there's no point driving home the statistics of a successful awareness campaign. I was just trying very hard to share an unpopular point of view.

So, you don't like people telling you how you should grieve, how you should respond to tragedy or how you should support a cause, but you're complaining about how others do it?

You're upset that someone else dealt with losing his mother by putting ribbons on his car because somehow that makes you think you have to?

You know what makes me feel "emotionally hijacked"? My friend who sis 38 with a wife and two children who got diagnosed with ALS last year.

I'm so sorry you feel bad about people pouring ice over their heads. I'm sure that is comforting to the people suffering.

Like I said, I'm done with this conversation. We are clearly not on the same page whatsoever.

If you're going to donate to a cause, just do it... You don't have to do some silly challenge. A true act of kindness is one where someone doesn't seek recognition.

Yay! People wasting a bunch of water for a disease they'd have to Google to know anything about when people in other countries are showering, pissing, and drinking from the same mudhole.

Yay! People wasting a bunch of water for a disease they'd have to Google to know anything about when people in other countries are showering, pissing, and drinking from the same mudhole.

I think this ice bucket challenge is really stupid...if they really want to make it a challenge, then do it in the winter, not the summer. That's hardly a challenge.