A Better Place

[Gribble]

What have you done to make the world you live in a better place?

We have quite a few Europeans who love to point out how wealthy America is, how hypocritical, selfish, etc.

What have you guys done to help the starving, impoverished masses you so desperately care for?

Fellow Americans, what are your stories? Have you donated money lately or volunteered your time to a good cause?

[ecojeanne]

i don't show off, i think it's crude and takes away from the deeds

[Junket]

i don't show off, i think it's crude and takes away from the deeds

If the deed is done and all is well, there's nothing to take.

[Gribble]

In other words you've done almost nothing and you're ashamed to admit it.

[ecojeanne]

its between me and my conscience, and i have to say i feel good about myself

[lesa]

Have you donated money lately or volunteered your time to a good cause?

Yep I donate and volunteer. I do it even more after meeting the bf.

[Junket]

its between me and my conscience, and i have to say i feel good about myself

Nope, nothin' there.

[ecojeanne]

you see this is the sort of thing people complain about americans for: showing off.

you're not really helping your case

Its not a good thing in my view. one does a deed because one wants to help for the greater good, not for praise of doing it, why do you think people donate annoymously? go ahead tell everyone. I won't be.

[Junket]

you see this is the sort of thing people complain about americans for: showing off.

you're not really helping your case

Its not a good thing in my view. one does a deed because one wants to help for the greater good, not for praise of doing it, why do you think people donate annoymously? go ahead tell everyone. I won't be.

The point is it doesn't matter.

What changes if somebody built another person a house for free and told someone else about it?

Does that new homeowner suddenly become homeless? Go bankrupt? Become suddenly ill?

What's wrong with saying "I did this good thing, and I think more people should do things like this too."

"This is my experience with my do gooding, I hope this inspires others to do likewise, because that will be a lot of good going around."

If people don't speak up, then nobody will ever know, and it will come to a dead end, with you.


EDIT: I would also like to mention this is as anonymous as you can get without anonymously getting an article published in a magazine.

[ecojeanne]

i do get your point fras, some people need inspiration and some want and enjoy the praise. Me personally i don't like the praise simply because i feel it takes the good out of it. People should give because they want to not because they feel pressured or want the praise.

speaking of which i remember there was this do gooder girl in the last place i worked and she created an idea for everyone to donate part of their christmas paycheck to her chosen charity and left a sheet on everyones desk to fill in how much and said she would go around later and collect it.

Completely outraged i sent her an email stating that there was one particular person we all knew didn't have the money to donate anything because they were in debt up to their ears.

telling people can be a form of pressure aswell. i refused to donate to HER charity. None of the office actually got a say which charity or charities the company would match. I was disgusted with the pressure put on everyone. i think 2 people donated in the end, her and the boss.

charity is a personal thing and something to feel good about in ones own privacy IMO.

EDIT: if i was new here and didn't intend coming back to this site i'd agree it is completely annonymous, but i'm not looking for people to praise me or somehow think differently of me just because of what i do to help. I actually hate praise from doing good. it annoys me and makes me feel deeply guilty because i'm sitting here happy and getting praise?!! while other people are suffering. is that weird? no i don't think so.

[Junket]

The only time I've ever donated money to a charity was when I received something in return.

Why?

Because chances are, my money won't go towards what I think it is, and will probably fall in to the wallets of all the "overhead".

I will donate my labor, and items, but never money.

Here's a tip: If you're going to donate in monetary form, try using a gift card, or specify which project, or need it is donated for. Non profits (at least in America), cannot touch that money unless it goes towards that specific project.

[starbuck]

My company has a great donation sharing program where if you put aside a portion of your paycheck for various charities they will match it. This is what I do at the moment as well as attend and contribute to many charity auctions and events here in the city.

I want to start volunteering if I can. I don't have a whole lot of free time, which is why I choose to donate at the moment. I would like to definitely like to contribute my services in a way where I can actually meet people and not just be a faceless donor.

Gribble asked. You can answer or not. It's not bragging if someone asks you.

[Lipp]

I think you've mixed up the bashing of the US administration under the current presidency and the bashing of the US population.

But as for aid itself, I'm not in favor of it, I've found it to be more of an issue of how to distribute and use it efficiently rather than just getting the money. And until I'm in the clear when it comes to coping with helluva high tuition fees I wont donate any significant amounts.

[Mish]

Yep I donate and volunteer.

+1

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[starbuck]

Completely outraged i sent her an email stating that there was one particular person we all knew didn't have the money to donate anything because they were in debt up to their ears

Eco? Outraged about something? I'm totally shocked.