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[Huff]

i agree that most of the videos arn't the greatest at talking about ALS

but some are trying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Z87UpdhkU&feature=youtube_gdata

 

[FreddieQuell]

I'm flabbergasted that gaffers are getting upset about this.

Also I haven't done it.

 

[Blader]

I have a an issue with notions of raising awareness tied to a social media ice bucket video selfie in apparent absence of much understanding of what ALS is or where help is needed. As I have said before it is good money that is being raised for any worthy cause but it is not raising much awareness. Individuals and their families go through a lot with ALS and it can lead to a lot of short term stress and financial difficulty and I don't think this campaign is doing much to showcase that. Instead it is showcasing the donor or the one dodging the donation.

My dad died of ALS about 4 years ago and I would really want to know what he thought of a campaign like this.

Not to sound crass, but if someone were to donate $100, $1000, $10000 to the ALS Association without bothering to read up or remember a single thing about the disease...so what? They're still making the contribution. Regardless of their own personal awareness, that's still an extra $100, $1000, $10000 being used to research and hopefully find treatments for ALS.

Speaking purely anecdotally, everyone I've seen on my own Facebook with either a video or just a status about the challenge has said something about what ALS is, what it means, and the importance of donating at all, so it's not as if (again, on a purely anecdotal basis) that these donations are happening in an awareness vacuum. But even if they were, money is still going into disease research.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Most people do both, but donate less if they dump the ice water on their head.

Talk to the charities involved and they'll tell you that the awareness generated by this is incredibly valuable. The more people that know, the more donations they'll receive. This campaign has generated millions and millions of dollars that otherwise would not have been donated to help fight ALS.

Ah I see. I knew the challenge was working well, I was just unaware that some people poured water and donated, seemed more like an "or" thing from what I'd seen. Good stuff.

 

[krae_man]

Leave it to GAF to be incredibly cynical about donating money to charity for a life threatening disease.

Jesus...

Plus it's Slacktivism.

 

[KHarvey16]

Plus it's Slacktivism.

Be accused of being cynical; respond with cynicism.

 

[TheAbsolution]

I'm flabbergasted that gaffers are getting upset about this.

Also I haven't done it.

.

 

[AdventureRacing]

I have a an issue with notions of raising awareness tied to a social media ice bucket video selfie in apparent absence of much understanding of what ALS is or where help is needed. As I have said before it is good money that is being raised for any worthy cause but it is not raising much awareness. Individuals and their families go through a lot with ALS and it can lead to a lot of short term stress and financial difficulty and I don't think this campaign is doing much to showcase that. Instead it is showcasing the donor or the one dodging the donation.

My dad died of ALS about 4 years ago and I would really want to know what he thought of a campaign like this.

This campaign has raised the awareness of this condition to an incredible degree and has also helped raise millions of dollars towards the cause. The fact that it gets people to have a little fun whilst being involved isn't a negative imo.

Plus it's Slacktivism.

Is it? When i think of that term i think of all the people who like random pages on facebook and literally go no further than that. In this case you have people donating money towards the cause, taking the time to make a video or take a selfie and encouraging other people to do the same. Usually this is accompanied by some sort of information related to the cause to increase awareness.

Even if that is an accurate description i don't see the problem. Millions of dollars have been raised and the condition has received heaps of publicity as a result.

 

[krae_man]

This campaign has raised the awareness of this condition to an incredible degree and has also helped raise millions of dollars towards the cause. The fact that it gets people to have a little fun whilst being involved isn't a negative imo.

I don't think anyone has not known about ALS since before Lou Gehrig. It just wasn't' the hip cool thing to donate to. Cancer was. This is working to change that I guess.

 

[homeworkfilms]

I don't buy that awareness has in fact been raised. Awareness of the disease and its impacts are nowhere in these videos. Awareness of the term ALS sure but not its true impacts. To be fair that is the case with a lot of fundraising for causes that are not pretty.

 

[KHarvey16]

I don't think anyone has not known about ALS since before Lou Gehrig. It just wasn't' the hip cool thing to donate to. Cancer was. This is working to change that I guess.

Do you believe those donating their money to ALS because of this campaign would have donated to cancer research instead? I think that's ridiculous.

 

[Red Comet]

No, this is why I try to avoid social media.

 

[KHarvey16]

No, this is why I try to avoid social media.

You avoid social media because of fundraising campaigns?

Some of you are bizarre.

 

[krae_man]

Do you believe those donating their money to ALS because of this campaign would have donated to cancer research instead? I think that's ridiculous.

People only have so much money disposable income. I'm sure Tsunami's and earthquakes and whatnot impact the pocket book of other charities as well.

 

[toneroni]

I did it and donated. I also challenged others which should extend its reach in my network. Yes it can be a bit silly but I think it was an ingenious use of social media to help a cause.

 

[CornBurrito]

Do you believe those donating their money to ALS because of this campaign would have donated to cancer research instead? I think that's ridiculous.

Possibly when the next big social event surrounding it popped up. Just like how the death of Robin Williams led people to donating to mental health organizations. You wouldn't claim those people were ignorant of depression before I hope.

Note I am not saying this is a bad thing. But I do believe people donate to "trendy" things. People looking to support a cause can and should make use of that phenomenon.

 

[homeworkfilms]

Charities compete just like big business. In fact fundraising is very big business. They do compete for hard for every dollar of donation and yes most assume if they don't get that dollar another charity will. I worked in the sector for many years and saw this first hand.

 

[KHarvey16]

People only have so much money disposable income. I'm sure Tsunami's and earthquakes and whatnot impact the pocket book of other charities as well.

That reasoning doesn't really make sense since disposable income is obviously spent on more than just charity. And I'm telling you right now that no one on my facebook feed had that $20 redirected from their cancer charity donation. I don't think the argument you're making reflects reality in anyway whatsoever.

 

[Blader]

I don't buy that awareness has in fact been raised. Awareness of the disease and its impacts are nowhere in these videos. Awareness of the term ALS sure but not its true impacts. To be fair that is the case with a lot of fundraising for causes that are not pretty.

There have been plenty of videos where the person being filmed talks about what ALS is.

But again, even if not, so what! The money is still being raised. The ALS Association has $12 million more now than it did this time last year.

Unless this is the nth case of hating something because it's trendy/popular, I sincerely don't understand the problem.

 

[SS4Gogita]

No—I'm not famous. Actually, I have yet to see any nobodies do it.

I've seen it all over my Facebook.

 

[Heisenberg]

I did it and donated. I also challenged others which should extend its reach in my network. Yes it can be a bit silly but I think it was an ingenious use of social media to help a cause.

Basically exactly how I feel.

 

[AdventureRacing]

I don't think anyone has not known about ALS since before Lou Gehrig. It just wasn't' the hip cool thing to donate to. Cancer was. This is working to change that I guess.

Well you're flat out wrong there. Hardly anyone actually knows what the condition is and i'm not sure what would make you think otherwise. I'm not even sure what point you're trying to make with the rest of your post. Yes it often takes a specific campaign to raise awareness and get people on board with donating towards a certain cause. In the case of ALS that's what this campaign has achieved.

I don't buy that awareness has in fact been raised. Awareness of the disease and its impacts are nowhere in these videos. Awareness of the term ALS sure but not its true impacts. To be fair that is the case with a lot of fundraising for causes that are not pretty.

It's not in all the videos but plenty of people do include information. It certainly has gotten more people talking about it and that has surely got more people to learn about the condition. I'm not sure why that would matter anyway. Yes it would be great if more people understood exactly what ALS sufferers have to go through but having it's profile increased the way it has been and raising millions for the cause is hardly a negative.

 

[KHarvey16]

Charities compete just like big business. In fact fundraising is very big business. They do compete for hard for every dollar of donation and yes most assume if they don't get that dollar another charity will. I worked in the sector for many years and saw this first hand.

Nonsense. Very few of these people were going to send that $20 or $50 or $100 to another charity before this thing went viral.

 

[krae_man]

Well you're flat out wrong there. Hardly anyone actually knows what the condition is and i'm not sure what would make you think otherwise. I'm not even sure what point you're trying to make with the rest of your post. Yes it often takes a specific campaign to raise awareness and get people on board with donating towards a certain cause. In the case of ALS that's what this campaign has achieved.

Are you arguing they don't know in graphic detail all the symptoms and what victims of it suffer? Or that they aren't aware it's a disease that exists? If it's the latter, you're wrong.

 

[CornBurrito]

Nonsense. Very few of these people were going to send that $20 or $50 or $100 to another charity before this thing went viral.

many of those people would have sent that money to the next charity that went viral.

 

[JCX]

Since this has proven very successful, I wonder what similar strategies other charities will use.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Possibly when the next big social event surrounding it popped up. Just like how the death of Robin Williams led people to donating to mental health organizations. You wouldn't claim those people were ignorant of depression before I hope.

Note I am not saying this is a bad thing. But I do believe people donate to "trendy" things. People looking to support a cause can and should make use of that phenomenon.

I don't think there is anyone that would question that, it's obviously true. That doesn't mean that the money donated to this cause would have otherwise just went to another charity. I'd say it's more likely that it wouldn't have been donated at all. In general it takes a specific campaign or event to get people to donate but that doesn't mean it's taking away from other charities necessarily (certainly not all of it anyway).

That's certainly not a negative against this campaign either. I can see why this type of behavior is frowned upon in a way, you shouldn't only care about these things because of a specific event like robin williams dying. On the flip side there are so many different conditions and issues out there that it's impossible to know about and be involved in all of them. That's where awareness campaigns like this one come in and i'd say it's done a damn fine job.

 

[krae_man]

many of those people would have sent that money to the next charity that went viral.

Also if I have $100 in my pocket and a charity stops me at the mall and talks me into donating $20. No other charity in that mall is getting squat. Even if I walk out without spending a dime in the stores. I've done my good deed, I don't need to do another one for a while.

 

[davepoobond]

It's a terrible waste of water. Why would anyone do this

 

[terribletwo]

no because wasting water is very irresponsible especially during this tremendous drought

 

[Dion Blaster]

The only problem I have with it is that we're in the middle of a drought here in CA. It's pissing a lot of people off. I wonder if the amount of water wasted is actually material. If so, I would love to see a remix of the challenge in this part of the country to continue raising awareness.

 

[CornBurrito]

I don't think there is anyone that would question that, it's obviously true. That doesn't mean that the money donated to this cause would have otherwise just went to another charity. I'd say it's more likely that it wouldn't have been donated at all. In general it takes a specific campaign or event to get people to donate but that doesn't mean it's taking away from other charities necessarily (certainly not all of it anyway).

I disagree sorry. If they hadn't spent it on these trendy social media campaign they would have spent it on the next trendy social media campaign. Or maybe during breast cancer awareness month. If no other campaign popped up I agree they wouldn't have spent the money on charity.

 

[AdventureRacing]

Are you arguing they don't know in graphic detail all the symptoms and what victims of it suffer? Or that they aren't aware it's a disease that exists? If it's the latter, you're wrong.

Both. I could ask all the people i know what the condition is and i can guarantee that almost all of them would have no idea about its existence (this campaign and the responses to it on facebook have been proof of that). Shit i work at a hospital and i can tell you right now that even there a lot of people don't know what it is.

many of those people would have sent that money to the next charity that went viral.

No they wouldn't. Most people don't just have an amount of money set aside that they donate to charity. When something like this comes along it gets them to donate a small amount of money. The fact that someone donates to this cause doesn't stop them from getting involved with the next viral one. If there were none at all they would be more likely to donate absolutely nothing then go to another cause.

I disagree sorry. If they hadn't spent it on these trendy social media campaign they would have spent it on the next trendy social media campaign. Or maybe during breast cancer awareness month. If no other campaign popped up I agree they wouldn't have spent the money on charity.

IF there was another social media trend. What i'm arguing against is the idea that people just have $100 or whatever set aside to donate to charity a month and this one just happened to take that money this time around. Really everyone's default amount of money to donate to charity is absolutely nothing. It takes campaigns like this to get people to donate to a cause. Would some of that money possibly have went to another charity? Sure. That doesn't mean that all of it would have and it's certainly not a reason to stop doing campaigns like this.

Actually on re reading your post i'm not even sure what you disagree with. I think more campaigns like this get people to give more money to charity and in general be more involved with the cause. The fact that there may be some overlap isn't an issue imo.

 

[KHarvey16]

many of those people would have sent that money to the next charity that went viral.

You're reasoning backwards now. All charities are bad because they take money from some hypothetical charity someone may have hypothetically donated to in a hypothetical future. Even granting any of you this ridiculous argument this viral campaign is only just as bad as every charity ever conceived.

I'm sorry, but the amount of gymnastics required to paint this whole thing in anything but the best possible light is sad and annoying.

 

[Dion Blaster]

many of those people would have sent that money to the next charity that went viral.

So what's the problem? (Water shortage aside)

 

[MoxManiac]

My facebook has been bombared with people doing this.

 

[krae_man]

Both. I could ask all the people i know what the condition is and i can guarantee that almost all of them would have no idea about its existence (this campaign and the responses to it on facebook have been proof of that). Shit i work at a hospital and i can tell you right now that even there a lot of people don't know what it is.
.

I learned about it in grade school and that was before Stephen Hawking so I disagree.

 

[kendrid]

I don't think anyone has not known about ALS since before Lou Gehrig. It just wasn't' the hip cool thing to donate to. Cancer was. This is working to change that I guess.

I have done quite a bit of fundraising for ALS the past four years and I can tell you the majority of people I talk to have no idea what the disease is even though they have heard of Lou Gehrig's disease. It is very cool when they want to learn more but if someone wants to just throw money into our bucket and move on that's cool too. Is this Ice Bucket Challenge really raising awareness? It has to be helping some.

I am interested to see if our donations will go up or down next time we stand in front of a store for donations. Will we hear "I already did the ice bucket challenge" or "oh, ALS, now that I know about that from that silly ice thing let me give you some money." I think the awareness is going to help.

If anyone want to learn more, follow Team Gleason on Facebook. He posts videos of his family life with a young child along with videos he does with Microsoft on new hardware and software to assist people with disabilities.
I highly recommend everyone watch this:
http://vimeo.com/79442529

 

[valeo]

Anyone that puts this down is an idiot. I didn't even know what ALS was before all of this happened; now I do.

 

[TheSeks]

How is pouring a bucket of ice water on your head fun/funny?

...How isn't it? People don't want cold water dumped on them because it's cold. Their reaction is "cute/funny" depending on how they react to it. It's not meant as anything other than a harmless "challenge" to you doing it because you don't want to.

Some of you must be real joys to associate with in public. :/

 

[Papercuts]

No, but it is spreading like wildfire through my feed so I feel like someone will tag me in it soon.

 

[Mister Negative]

people post about "slacktivism" like saying that word is charity in and of itself

 

[Curiocity]

Through this, I have learned:

-ALS is an acronym
-I am now aware of this acronym
-ice is uncomfortable and so is peer pressure.

Basically this type of thing does zilch in terms of actually educating anyone. I know I should just do the research myself, but I'm less likely to do it when the people motivating me are being really kind of obnoxious about it. And that goes for any number of horrible-disease-awareness campaigns, unfortunately.

 

[CornBurrito]

You're reasoning backwards now. All charities are bad because they take money from some hypothetical charity someone may have hypothetically donated to in a hypothetical future. Even granting any of you this ridiculous argument this viral campaign is only just as bad as every charity ever conceived.

I'm sorry, but the amount of gymnastics required to paint this whole thing in anything but the best possible light is sad and annoying.

So what's the problem? (Water shortage aside)

Holy fuck you guys should read. Fuck off. Nowhere did I say this was a bad thing Kharvey.

Note I am not saying this is a bad thing. But I do believe people donate to "trendy" things. People looking to support a cause can and should make use of that phenomenon.

But I guess pointing out that people donate to trendy things is somehow the same as saying charity is bad. somehow.

 

[kendrid]

Through this, I have learned:

-ALS is an acronym
-I am now aware of this acronym
-ice is uncomfortable and so is peer pressure.

Basically this type of thing does zilch in terms of actually educating anyone. I know I should just do the research myself, but I'm less likely to do it when the people motivating me are being really kind of obnoxious about it. And that goes for any number of horrible-disease-awareness campaigns, unfortunately.

Imagine losing the ability to control all of your voluntary muscles (legs, arms, voice, etc) but you stay alive and your brain keeps working 100%. You are literally trapped in your own body. That is ALS in a nutshell.

 

[valeo]

Through this, I have learned:

-ALS is an acronym
-I am now aware of this acronym
-ice is uncomfortable and so is peer pressure.

Basically this type of thing does zilch in terms of actually educating anyone. I know I should just do the research myself, but I'm less likely to do it when the people motivating me are being really kind of obnoxious about it. And that goes for any number of horrible-disease-awareness campaigns, unfortunately.

I'd argue that there are a lot of people who have taken the time to look up what 'ALS' means because of this campaign. Not everyone is as lazy and cynical as you obviously are.

I don't think anyone has not known about ALS since before Lou Gehrig. It just wasn't' the hip cool thing to donate to. Cancer was. This is working to change that I guess.

Most people outside America probably don't know who Lou Gehrig was. 90% of people likely don't know what ALS is. (I didn't before this happened)

 

[Vire]

I don't buy that awareness has in fact been raised. Awareness of the disease and its impacts are nowhere in these videos. Awareness of the term ALS sure but not its true impacts. To be fair that is the case with a lot of fundraising for causes that are not pretty.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, 13 million dollars has been raised for this disease.

I'd kill for that to be raised for Crohn's and Colitis. I really wouldn't give a shit if they understood it or not. Furthermore, I didn't know the specifics of ALS before this campaign, so you are flat out wrong.

 

[BLCKATK]

Yeah, I did it. It's been spreading like wildifre all over facebook for me and it has encouraged a lot of my friends and family to donate and raise money.

It was cool.



(no pun intended)

 

[valeo]

Holy fuck you guys should read. Fuck off. Nowhere did I say this was a bad thing Kharvey.



But I guess pointing out that people donate to trendy things is somehow the same as saying charity is bad. somehow.

I agree with you - and, like you said, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It's a bit like the recent push for breast cancer awareness - while it isn't comparatively the worst disease/illness, there has been a disproportionate amount of awareness and fundraising for it. (i.e. in Australia sports teams dress in pink etc.) Now, you could say this is taking away money for something else; but I think that it's good either way. A good percentage of the people donating probably wouldn't donate to anything if this sort of awareness wasn't raised.

Unfortunately there are hundreds of causes that are in need of more money and support, but there is only so much charity to go around. Charities need to treat themselves as brands as market themselves well; that is the reality.

 

[Lothar]

...How isn't it? People don't want cold water dumped on them because it's cold. Their reaction is "cute/funny" depending on how they react to it. It's not meant as anything other than a harmless "challenge" to you doing it because you don't want to.

Some of you must be real joys to associate with in public. :/

If they didn't want it, why would they do it? My reaction to watching two of those videos was "Wow, that's dumb."

I've laughed my ass off to fail videos before but that's accidents caused by stupidity. This is like watching someone punch themselves in the face. What's funny about that? Maybe that'll be the next challenge.