The Ice Bucket Challenge
Although I haven't been truly nominated, I'm still doing mine later. The whole charity ransom craze seems to have got a little out of hand and digressed from it's original concept. Even if you haven't been nominated, why not take part or just give something to a cause that matters? Why wait to be nominated or to feel the pressure? Most people walk past hundreds of people in a worse situation than them every day and rarely give a second thought and I appreciate we can't give to everyone and solve any chronic illness or world peace in a day.
It's a shame that some people are only taking part in the challenge to be 'seen to be giving'. We all know some of them. This goes against the very concept of charity but what do you expect from a concept that originally stroked the egos of celebrities? It wasn't technically meant for us non-famous people; that's not to say it isn't achieving wonders - but - ...
Charity is selfless, it's nothing to do with your image. By all means do the IBC and do it properly... challenges are fun, especially if they are challenging! Better still, pass on the message to other people but don't pressure them into giving or not, that's unfair and those people probably give more than you every day but not mention it. It's not about having a moral high ground, it's about having fun. Playing on peoples egos (also known as bullying, peer pressure etc) is something that people have become so accustomed to within marketing that they no longer see it for what it is.
PR is crazy and this is all it is. I'm saying this because I can see it; after all I work in the creative industries (and by that I mean the parts of the creative industry that are still creative and not soul-less or stagnant). Those falling victim to the IBC (unless they genuinely felt that they wanted to give to that particular charity when they woke up in the morning) are falling victim to what marketing and PR does all the time. In my opinion it's a black art (but of course an art nonetheless); there are much fairer ways to get people to do something (for example, because it's the right thing to do).
I hear people screaming at this blog saying, but it is the right thing to do...
If that's the case, do it tomorrow, do it twice, carry on doing it everyday. Obviously you were always doing it anyway, at least that's what your posts suggest.
No seriously though, I'm no saint... I admit there's more I can do but I try my best and so when my character is put on the line, naturally I'm going to make a choice to submit to peer pressure or to defend it. Personally I've found a compromise with both. I mean who is anyone to imply give your money here otherwise you aren't a good person, you're not doing a good thing...? This isn't down to the individuals that put the nominations forward either, because if you've done the challenge, then seriously, well done.
BUT once the challenge is out of the way, take it upon yourselves to help others more often than not, as in every day if possible. You shouldn't need to always dig into your pockets to be a philanthropist and you shouldn't have to seek recognition by putting it on your Facebook wall. When it comes to your personal lives, we don't really need anyone telling us if we are doing the right thing; have we become so consumed by marketing that we have forgotten our own conscience that will tell us if we are moral and just. Surely we're not complete zombies quite yet, although it does worry me sometimes.
Optimistically, probably wrongly, I believe that everyone is a good person. I'm just suggesting that you can have fun and take on challenges every day of the week. Why stop with the Ice Bucket Challenge? The main thing is to live and enjoy it if you are lucky enough to have the ability to do so. If you've got excess of something, share it with others, it may be material and money but it could also be time and happiness or a number of other things. Sharing I think is the word.
By all means take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge and keep spreading the word for what is an incredibly good cause (*although if you are giving money check where your money is going and act directly wherever possible). Give to where you want to give it, you don't need to excuse yourself, you don't need to tell anyone how successful you are or aren't. Please, please don't forget what it's about. Don't just give to people when your image is on the line, always try and be a moral person. It shouldn't just be about when we are held to ransom but we can all share something and we can do it all of the time.
I personally got a dud nomination (someone who didn't take the challenge properly). I have no doubt that the person who nominated me still contributed to the cause in more ways than one and I'm pleased that I was nominated.
Nonetheless when I do my Ice Bucket Challenge later, I'm going to maintain in true fairness to the fun by keeping to the expectations of my friends. I am going to use ice and a bucket and the people who I nominate are going to enjoy watching me complete the challenge properly. I'll also be nominating people who are going to find it fun, spread the message faster or maybe (secretly) it's just to give me some kind of sadomasochistic pleasure. On the latter, which I think it might be, surely this is as good a reason as any for taking part in the challenge... to share with others the experience of accomplishing said challenge. We all enjoy seeing our friends covered in cold icy water... personally I think it's hilarious. I'm not going to chicken out from the challenge but I felt it best accompanied by my review of 'why are we doing this anyway?' - to have fun, to do good things and to share the experience with others?
I know that all of my nominations will do what they can for the cause or find something that matters to them. If you chicken out, there's no need to do anything but a donation to WaterAid wouldn't go a miss.
It could be anything from image to sadomasochism but for whatever reason, if you have some money to share - don't be greedy, if you have some time to share - go and share it but even if you have nothing to share then just be the best person you can; that is for you, not for anyone else, not for your image or your business.
Image, PR and representation is best left in the hands of advertising agencies and media for the sake of selling products or improving your businesses. Your personality is not for sale and don't make room for that suggestion.
Even if you don't want to take part, whatever your reason, and there could be plenty... maybe have a read of this and talk about it. Messages are well spread by talking about stuff.
To summarise my feelings on the Ice Bucket Challenge, it's not about you so why make it about you? I would like this message to be shared with those who chicken out or don't want to take part. You got nominated by your friends to share the experience and to have fun and if nothing else share that fun with them. Although if it's not in your theology to have fun?...
1. Spread good messages.
2. Go out, have fun experiences and be good to everyone.
3. Share 1 and 2 with your friends (including this blog post too if you like?!)
P.S. Play fair. No one likes a cheat.
It's a shame that some people are only taking part in the challenge to be 'seen to be giving'. We all know some of them. This goes against the very concept of charity but what do you expect from a concept that originally stroked the egos of celebrities? It wasn't technically meant for us non-famous people; that's not to say it isn't achieving wonders - but - ...
Charity is selfless, it's nothing to do with your image. By all means do the IBC and do it properly... challenges are fun, especially if they are challenging! Better still, pass on the message to other people but don't pressure them into giving or not, that's unfair and those people probably give more than you every day but not mention it. It's not about having a moral high ground, it's about having fun. Playing on peoples egos (also known as bullying, peer pressure etc) is something that people have become so accustomed to within marketing that they no longer see it for what it is.
PR is crazy and this is all it is. I'm saying this because I can see it; after all I work in the creative industries (and by that I mean the parts of the creative industry that are still creative and not soul-less or stagnant). Those falling victim to the IBC (unless they genuinely felt that they wanted to give to that particular charity when they woke up in the morning) are falling victim to what marketing and PR does all the time. In my opinion it's a black art (but of course an art nonetheless); there are much fairer ways to get people to do something (for example, because it's the right thing to do).
I hear people screaming at this blog saying, but it is the right thing to do...
If that's the case, do it tomorrow, do it twice, carry on doing it everyday. Obviously you were always doing it anyway, at least that's what your posts suggest.
No seriously though, I'm no saint... I admit there's more I can do but I try my best and so when my character is put on the line, naturally I'm going to make a choice to submit to peer pressure or to defend it. Personally I've found a compromise with both. I mean who is anyone to imply give your money here otherwise you aren't a good person, you're not doing a good thing...? This isn't down to the individuals that put the nominations forward either, because if you've done the challenge, then seriously, well done.
BUT once the challenge is out of the way, take it upon yourselves to help others more often than not, as in every day if possible. You shouldn't need to always dig into your pockets to be a philanthropist and you shouldn't have to seek recognition by putting it on your Facebook wall. When it comes to your personal lives, we don't really need anyone telling us if we are doing the right thing; have we become so consumed by marketing that we have forgotten our own conscience that will tell us if we are moral and just. Surely we're not complete zombies quite yet, although it does worry me sometimes.
Optimistically, probably wrongly, I believe that everyone is a good person. I'm just suggesting that you can have fun and take on challenges every day of the week. Why stop with the Ice Bucket Challenge? The main thing is to live and enjoy it if you are lucky enough to have the ability to do so. If you've got excess of something, share it with others, it may be material and money but it could also be time and happiness or a number of other things. Sharing I think is the word.
By all means take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge and keep spreading the word for what is an incredibly good cause (*although if you are giving money check where your money is going and act directly wherever possible). Give to where you want to give it, you don't need to excuse yourself, you don't need to tell anyone how successful you are or aren't. Please, please don't forget what it's about. Don't just give to people when your image is on the line, always try and be a moral person. It shouldn't just be about when we are held to ransom but we can all share something and we can do it all of the time.
I personally got a dud nomination (someone who didn't take the challenge properly). I have no doubt that the person who nominated me still contributed to the cause in more ways than one and I'm pleased that I was nominated.
Nonetheless when I do my Ice Bucket Challenge later, I'm going to maintain in true fairness to the fun by keeping to the expectations of my friends. I am going to use ice and a bucket and the people who I nominate are going to enjoy watching me complete the challenge properly. I'll also be nominating people who are going to find it fun, spread the message faster or maybe (secretly) it's just to give me some kind of sadomasochistic pleasure. On the latter, which I think it might be, surely this is as good a reason as any for taking part in the challenge... to share with others the experience of accomplishing said challenge. We all enjoy seeing our friends covered in cold icy water... personally I think it's hilarious. I'm not going to chicken out from the challenge but I felt it best accompanied by my review of 'why are we doing this anyway?' - to have fun, to do good things and to share the experience with others?
I know that all of my nominations will do what they can for the cause or find something that matters to them. If you chicken out, there's no need to do anything but a donation to WaterAid wouldn't go a miss.
It could be anything from image to sadomasochism but for whatever reason, if you have some money to share - don't be greedy, if you have some time to share - go and share it but even if you have nothing to share then just be the best person you can; that is for you, not for anyone else, not for your image or your business.
Image, PR and representation is best left in the hands of advertising agencies and media for the sake of selling products or improving your businesses. Your personality is not for sale and don't make room for that suggestion.
Even if you don't want to take part, whatever your reason, and there could be plenty... maybe have a read of this and talk about it. Messages are well spread by talking about stuff.
To summarise my feelings on the Ice Bucket Challenge, it's not about you so why make it about you? I would like this message to be shared with those who chicken out or don't want to take part. You got nominated by your friends to share the experience and to have fun and if nothing else share that fun with them. Although if it's not in your theology to have fun?...
1. Spread good messages.
2. Go out, have fun experiences and be good to everyone.
3. Share 1 and 2 with your friends (including this blog post too if you like?!)
P.S. Play fair. No one likes a cheat.
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