Slacktivism
A friend put up a link to a marvellous (& somewhat dry) blog regarding hyped up 'breast cancer awareness' games on FB - i.e. the ones where you post something obscure which is to refer to your handbag/underwear colour or sexual preference (this somehow expected to mysteriously affect men so much they'll want to engage in the cause... surely?
( Read more... )
I have to confess to being guilty of not doing as much as I should in the name of charity/awareness but this is partly due to cynicism about the whole system ie if you donate money, just how much of it actually goes to the cause or just goes to cover "administration" costs.
I was once a member of Amnesty International too, as I did strongly believe in their cause. However being a member raised my awareness to some of their more extremist views and in addition, I felt they wanted not much more from their members than just more money (I got innundated with letters asking for donations for this, that and the other) rather than any physical way of helping.
Not entirely selfish though. :-) I do sponsor a couple of dogs at the Dogs Trust; figured if I could never own one myself, the least i could do his help to support dogs who can't be rehomed (and in line with my above comment, *hoping* that it does go to help the dogs and not just to pay for all the mailouts and advertising)
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I have joined a petition group, but I have currently suspended any monetary giving because I am so uncertain where I can give without it being misspent. I really badly would like to give towards starvation (I saw some horrible pictures a year ago which really took my breath away), but that is the most corrupt of all - just a fraction reaches these people. I mean, how disturbing is it that Haitians are still waiting to get the monetary help that was given a year ago?!
I did think animal welfare was amongst the 'safest', but a vet friend of mine told me the top-layer-people at RSPCA are just as bad. I think now the possible solution is to give to smaller organisations; I am currently considering a couple of smaller shelters and then some charity that involves doctors going to different countries. Unless someone can give me the heads up for some organisation with a really good reputation!
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I like to think that petitions *might* do some good, at least its a public notice of support or opposition for a cause. However, this is also a victim off too much bandwagon jumping. People rush to sign stuff to feel morally worthy without reading into the background of the situation, which I think devalues the impact of a petition.
The forestry thing being a good example - I was amazed by the comments of some people on FB, just how ill informed people were (ie thinking we were going to loose all our National Parks, which are absolutely nothing to do with the Forestry Commission!)
So yes, I do sign petitions if it is for something I believe in but not without checking the facts first.
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Petitions is a bit hit & miss, but at least it's a way to draw attention to things and highlight that there is a concern. That said I am probably guilty of not always knowing the full background - although I am careful not to profess more than what I do know. For me it always seems a complete gamble releasing anything to the private sector, no matter the assurances given; I'd like things to stay in government hands as much as possible. I may have precious little trust in them, but I have even less trust in private interests!
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