Rasheed has put what I’ve been feeling about the Ice Bucket Challenge into words.
Yes, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a cruel disease. Yes, the ice bucket challenge has piqued awareness of the disease. Yes, the ice bucket challenge has raised over $50 million in a month for the ALS Association. But I can’t stand it. I can’t stand my social media streams overrun with videos of people dumping buckets of water on themselves under the guise of philanthropy.
I admit the main driver behind my hatred of the ice bucket challenge is jealousy. I’m jealous that the act of videotaping silliness has garnered so much attention and money for a cause that is, while most certainly worthwhile, not inflammatory bowel disease. It’s selfish for me to say, but I wish that IBD charities could have bottled lightning like the creators of the ice bucket challenge have. I wish that public figures and the public at large were rushing to spread awareness of this horrible disease…
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Oh I agree with this so much. I’m not against raising money for devastating illnesses, however I am very against the tactics being used to do so. Why isn’t it enough to donate to charity because of the harsh realities of these illnesses? Half the people doing the ice bucket challenge on social media make no mention of ALS or even talk about it, which defeats the whole purpose. It’s all about the notoriety and jumping on the bandwagon. Frustrating! And I agree with the part about it not even closely reflecting the effects of ALS. They get wet, feel cold and uncomfortable for a few minutes, then move on with their lives.
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That is really true. I’m sure many people who do the challenge don’t bother to look up what ALS is. A real challenge would be living like someone who has ALS for a day or two.
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Definitely!
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