The Fad Factor…. The Road To Hell Paved With Good Intentions. Who's Up for a REAL challenge?
*The challenge part is right at the bottom, don’t miss it!
Isn’t it funny how one single image (the one above of Stephen Hawking) can change the way you think about something? Like turn it right on its head and have you banging said head down on the table with a groan. Not of pleasure, keep it clean. But I promise you dear reader, get to the end of this blog entry (I’d hope you’re up for the challenge) and you too will see something in a totally different light and have you thinking that little bit harder. Yeah I know its Friday/Saturday but you won’t regret this. Well unless you’re dumb and really have no social conscience. I try not to overestimate people, it generally leads to disappointment, but as one of my readers you will get the benefit of the doubt, this time. Don’t disappoint me, cause I really will cut you!
You’d pretty much have to be a hermit living in the Alps somewhere with ZERO communication with the outside world not to have heard the words “ice bucket challenge”. I’m going to take a wild stab here and say about 90% of people know it is the “ALS ice bucket challenge”. I’m going to take a stab further and guess that LESS than 20% actually know what ALS stands for (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) is and less again what the condition entails. I’m going to take a further stab and say that 10% or less of people know that it’s a form on MND (Motor Neuron Disease). I’m going to take a further stab and say unless your life, a friend’s life have been touched by it or you have studied some type of medical science degree, that you actually have never heard of MND before today or have any idea about it and the forms it takes, how it comes about and what having the condition actually means. FYI it’s a fatal condition…. And it’s horrific.
I’m not a doctor or geneticist, so I’m not going to educate you here, cause lets face it while it would be OCD accurate and very detailed, I would be guilty of doing a Dr Google, which is where we know all good medical advice comes from. Just look at vaccinations, whichever side of the fence you sit, the right one or the wrong one, Dr Google makes experts out of everyone. Ohh and yes-dear reader one day will step into vaccination territory and it’s not a pretty territory. You ever played a zombie apocalypse game? Nah me neither, I’m cool, but I may have sneaked a peek over Mr. BmB shoulder once.
So back to my point, about this ice bucket challenge. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for celebrities coming to the table and raising money and hypothetically it seems, awareness for important medical conditions. I particularly have much respect for Charlie Sheen, yeah who would have thought right, who took it and made it his own. Personally i’d like a money shower over an ice one myself as well… If I ever write that bucket list that is going right on it! To call out people you just want to fuck with to meet the same challenge or better it, duuuude SO. MUCH. RESPECT! Nothing like a bit of revenge served with a hefty dose of philanthropy! (though you lose ALL points based on the premise of this blog post for using fundraising as a self-serving tool and crapping all over the condition itself) So while funny, totally uncool.
To quote Steve O (I know right of all people) : “It’s tragic because I don’t think many of those celebrities even bothered to mention how or where to donate money for ALS research. Most of them just poured water over their heads and named three random people, without including any “call to action” which actually benefits victims of ALS at all. Had all those celebrities given this cause any thought, hundreds of millions of dollars might have been raised, and a whole lot more awareness.” – Steve O they are not victims by the way, they are sufferer’s but I’ll let that slide cause you’re message is a good one.
Coming back to topic, we have ALL these celebrities raising money doing the ice bucket challenge and supposed awareness. Though I can think I can count of the number of times I’ve actually heard the ALS in front of ice bucket challenge onone hand and yes I have the normal amount of fingers and thumbs. So we have celebrities raising money essentially…. 15 million dollars so far, which is a pretty penny. But overall given MND is such a mystery of a condition, gene identification 50% at best and the support and care suffer’s need it’s a drop in the proverbial ocean. Put it in the frame of context that some huge movie stars get 50 MILLION DOLLARS for ONE movie and it’s actually a bit of a joke, a very sad joke. Celebrities why are you JUST dumping water over you head and NOT donating? That’s your contribution is it? An ice shower? For a lot of you celebrity’s 15 million dollars is the change to be found behind your couch cushions. Be ashamed, be very ashamed.
Then it blows up into something HUGE and it becomes a huge popularity contest. Anyone who is anyone HAS to be challenged, or you’re not one of the cool kids in the school. So we have a charitable cause that has now also become a celebrity-pissing contest. I’m willing to bet Magnus, and I’m rather fond of that bird, that any celebrity who thinks they are important enough (ie all of them and Lea Michele sit the fuck down, you really are so unimportant your fame astonishes me) and haven’t been challenged has one harassed manager who’s mission it is to try to convince another celebrity to challenge them. I wonder, would anyone sink to pay for this privilege? The answer of course is yes.
So the reality is we have celebrities making money, off raising money, for a charity in an event that has become a celebrity pissing contest and that most of the general population has no real idea what the cause is, just that celebrities are having an ice bath. Celebrities who actually are not donating actual money, though they have it to burn, but just participating, for recognition and appearances. Ok, so it’s really a clusterfuck of philanthropy.
On one hand money is being raised (not enough given the context), though any money being raised is a good thing. On the other hand money is being paid, this is a bad thing. Most importantly is that no fucking one really has any idea WHY it’s happening. Anyone without the dumbs knows that long-term efforts to support long term research in any medical field requires recognition of the condition and its implications and a celebrity fad to be dumped over the head with ice is pissing all over that. So while the windfall now is great (or so it seems), it will come to a crashing stop as soon as the next celebrity trend comes along…. Or that Kardashian pops out the third crutchthfruit or Miley Cyrus has sex with a donkey or something. You see my point.
So something to ponder dear reader, other than how altruistic these celebrities are really being, all that free publicity, cause GOING VIRAL these days means big bucks, not a trip to the doctor for that special cream you don’t tell anyone about. How much, other than the initial fundraising will the give back to charity? Or MND specifically, since they are reaping the financial reward from just participating in the ice bucket challenge? I’m betting none, unless they are buying it a super yacht or a holiday in the Bahamas’. So good deed done, public profile up, more money in the bank and they look like such good guys for doing it to support such a worthy cause. You will know this once you actually look ALS or MMD up. What kind of fucked up world is this, we give to gain? I shouldn’t be surprised, people are crap but I live with the constant dream people will become less crap. I’m always disappointed. I’m sure it started off with good intentions, but the path to hell is also paved with good intentions.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the money being raised for this cause is incredible but measly given the actual celebrity participation. Dig into their own pockets for their hard earned cash? Pfft! But encouraging those who have far fewer resources to donate, who will likely go without to help, hypocritical. AND I’M CALLING YOU OUT!! I couldn’t help but delve a bit further into the celebrity involvement and the fad it’s become. If it’s trending on twitter, it’s a fad or hate. (Taylor Swift shake it off, I’m looking at you dead in the eye and calling hate, well justified). How the cause gets lost in the shuffle and while the initial windfall is great (well not so great given the pool of money these celebrities have. FBcunts are worth 200 BILLION…. Show me the money FBcunts!), it’s short-lived.
Look I hope I’m wrong, though I never am, and the recognition of this devastating medical condition has been highlighted, but I doubt it. I challenge you to ask 10 people if they have heard of the ice bucket challenge, then what cause it’s for (ALS and bonus points if they actually know what ALS stands for or MND) and what that cause is in a medical frame of reference (MND and it’s impact on sufferers lives). My bet is it will all come crashing down at the second question and with the third, everyone is hitting Dr Google when they have a chance, if they care enough, which they won’t. EPIC FAIL… 15 Million or not. Drop in the proverbial ocean remember.
My final point on this just as important, so take notice. Why the living fuck are celebrities dumping large amounts of GOOD water, drinkable water, over their heads (after freezing it) while we are crusading to save the environment? That ice didn’t freeze itself! Also when there are millions of people in the world who don’t have clean drinking water, let alone cold water and enough to spare to dump over their heads. So anyone who’s dumped a bucket over their head and gets the thumbs up for charity also should get a kick up the ass for wasting resources, adding to the carbon footprint and wasting water that others need to SURVIVE. A cause I’m sure all these celebrities are already backing (Leo DiCaprio, I’m looking at you, not sure if other than in Titanic you’ve had an ice bath yet) and promoting, because it’s a responsible way to use their fame, plump it up and make some side cash. See how that works?
The REAL philanthropists out there, and the late great Robin Williams is one, give to charity but do so anonymously or without recognition. Good deeds that goes unnoticed, because the cause is more important than the person. Maybe it’s time we took the time to notice don’t you think and give the credit to people who deserve it? Or better yet, less credit to those who don’t deserve it. Not the Sheryl Sandberg’s (cunts) of the world, who have an ulterior motive. Sing it with me: “Money, it must be money, in a rich man’s world’”
Not slamming all the celebrities who have actually done the iceberg challenge, I’m sure a minuscule percent had good intentions and might have donated some money even, rather than just participating in a who’s a big enough celebrity pissing contest…. Though again, I’m sure I can count them on one hand and Magnus stole two fingers while I typed this.
See, I told you you would see things a little differently and I was right, right? I’m always right and you’re welcome.
If you are actually interested in the cause, rather than the celebrity here is a great place to start.
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/motor_neuron_diseases/detail_motor_neuron_diseases.htm
* Also another honourable mention should go to all the “Colour Me Rad” and similar type fundraisers for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Here is one that is less celebrity based, but community based. Other than participating in the run (and raising money for ASD research, so that’s a positive here) how many people stop and think about it on a daily basis, fundraise without the “cool fad” or even work with individuals with ASD? Do they know what ASD is, what it entails and what families with children of ASD go through? Do they know that 1:50 children have a spectrum disorder? Do they care? So while participation in these events is a great thing, the message again gets lost in the fad factor. It’s not only really disappointing but also disrespectful. I’m all for raising money and awareness for worthwhile causes, but lets face it there is no such thing as a selfless act in today’s world. People participate to be seen to participate and to feel intrinsically like they are doing good. Pat themselves on the back at night before they go to sleep….. Then forget all about it , till it’s time for their next dinner party discussion that start with “Well I did…” (read look at what a socially conscious and good person I am).
You know things are bad when I’M being a moral compass. Chew it over folks.
FB I CHALLENGE YOU TO DONATE SINCE MS. SANDBERG is oh so for philanthropy…. Lets see 5 million, you are worth 200 BILLION!!!! So readers, lets get this done. Together. Share, support and lest “encourage” FB to actually do some good for once…. 5 million to ASD research wouldn’t hurt either! So together lets push! (and any other big corporations out there that can stand to be FAR more charitable, Apple and Gates I’m looking at you!) Oh and FB “donations” to congressmen don’t count…. You think no one noticed? Asshats!