suckitude

[havenstar]

So, I've been quiet. I don't have a whole lot to say and most of what I have to say is like BUMMER CITY so why bother, right? But griping sometimes is probably good for me, instead of just repressing all the time. so. yeah. what up eljays

Comments

[havenstar]

I think a big part of it is simply because it's been made so easy; there's the Red Cross text donation thing, the LJ v-gift, and even my local grocery store was/is doing a thing where you can add a Red Cross donation to your bill, in any amount, right at the register. But that just raises the extra question of why it's suddenly so easy, since I can't recall any sort of disaster relief response like this before. At first I assumed it was a local thing, since there's a moderately sized Haitian population in Florida, but I've realized that's not so, or at least that's not entirely it.

I know none of the donation things are particularly advanced technology, but I still think it's possible that donating online/through text is a new enough concept that that's why it hasn't been used more before. So I think that's part of it? I definitely think people donate loads more when it's convenient to them to do so. And I think the more convenient and in-your-face it is, the more people almost feel obligated to give. It's like peer pressure; everyone around you is donating, so you want to donate, too.

But that's a bit cynical. Totally on the opposite side of the spectrum, in Pollyannaville, I also honestly think it might be partly due to the mindset a lot of people still seem to be in, with the Obama "yes we can" mentality. It's not directly about him, necessarily, but that whole concept of hope and working together and small things adding up to big things... it's cheesy, but it's powerful, and I think it influences a lot of people. and it doesn't hurt that Michelle Obama's been doing Red Cross commercials.

Whatever it is, though, I hope that it continues. Charities always need money, and there are a lot more out there, and a lot more countries and organizations that could benefit from this sort of response. And something like the fandom groups, auctioning fic or art or podfic or whatever the hell, that's something that can be done at any time.

yeah I'll just go ahead and slap this bleeding heart on my sleeve. WHAT CAN I SAY I'm a giant freaking hippie, I donate to shit all the time. this is why I get heaps of junk mail. it is also partly why I'm broke. mine is not the ideal example :|

[paradise_city]

I also honestly think it might be partly due to the mindset a lot of people still seem to be in, with the Obama "yes we can" mentality. It's not directly about him, necessarily, but that whole concept of hope and working together and small things adding up to big things...

Interesting idea, and I can see how it fits. I guess I was thinking more about the outsourcing of funds. I can't see this kind of effort going into an American "support the under/unemployed!" kind of drive. Not that under/unemployment is at all on the same scale as the events in Haiti, but Americans tend to be pretty self-centered. Perhaps it's one of those "it could be worse" things? I'm not sure what's driving people, but they certainly reacted far more strongly than I would have anticipated.