When the #IceBucketChallenge started, the person who was challenged to participate had 24 hours or else they had to donate $100. However, due to the viral nature of the videos, this major component has mostly evaded the majority of the videos. Instead, people buy the bags, set up a camera, grab a bucket and think of which friends theyre going to tag. You probably didnt get the right angle the first go around and maybe the second time you fumbled your words- oops, more ice. By the end of it, you might have bought 6 bags and spent 30 minutes on creating this video. Boom, posted- and all of a sudden youre a philanthropist, spreading your charitable touch across your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Due to all of this, youve internally placed a monetary value on the cost of goods, the time spent and for posting on your social channels. This monetary value has little long term effect and next time youre thinking of donating to a charity or for a cause, you might think back to that time you created a video. Youve done your part, remember? And although the ALS Assocation has seen as much as four times as many donations during this time period than last year, just imagine with me for one second: What if the thousands of people who spent money on buying one or two2 bags of ice actually gave that money to ALS? It would be out of control. But thats not how we think. Our online profiles have become a direct reflection of who we are online; our life experiences are no longer an experience if isnt shared. We arent having a great time unless we stop, take a picture of it and share it with everyone. We have an internal value associated with each Facebook post, Tweet and Instagram. If you use that social action to help further a cause, that social action is taking the place of an actual donation. Instead of donating, we are posting. By creating such awareness, this awareness has a cap; a ceiling of sorts, that if reached can then become cannibalistic in nature. The viral nature of this almost hurts ALS due to the substitution of potential donations with a social post; internally, people think they have donated when in turn theyve only posted. Were social creatures. Were using the #IceBucketChallenge to show off our summer bodies. Were using it to tag old friends. Were using it to show people we care. Were using it to feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. Were using it to promote ourselves, in one way or another. The #IceBucketChallenge has done a tremendous job at generating awareness for a terrible disease. But next time somebody challenges you to participate, try to show your friends how crazy you really are and just donate to the cause.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 11:25:34 +0000
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