My thoughts about the ice bucket challenge are very well summed up by Mike Rowe (see his comments here).In short, in response to the “500 or so individuals who publicly challenged” him (some in less than friendly ways), Mr. Rowe and his dog both respectfully and politely “decided to forego The ALS/Ice Bucket Challenge.” Although he applauded the “marketing genius” of the fundraising campaign, his reasons for declining were fourfold:

1.He pointed out that we don’t live in “a world of unlimited philanthropic resources” so he was concerned that money being donated to ALS would take away from donations to other worthy causes. As he put it “We live in a world where generous people of finite means must allocate their charitable giving with discretion… In this world, more money for ALS means less money for Heart Disease… And so forth.” He added “I’m reluctant to participate in a challenge that’s raising so much money for a small association, especially when it impacts other research that will eventually save the lives of millions.”

2. He felt that, in general, the ice bucket challenge lacked the “conscious, collective commitment to rise up against a terrible scourge” because it was the result of a marketing campaign, not the heartfelt sacrifice and effort of people who had been personally affected by this disease. As he put it, “If my Dad or my brother was among the 6,000 diagnosed with ALS every year, I’d be standing under a shower of freezing water, waving my checkbook in the air and challenging the world to get on board.” When his Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer he took off his pants and encouraged everyone he knew to donate the cost of their favorite pair of jeans to cancer research. When his friend was walking to raise money for brain tumor research (something she survived) he was happy to donate because “she committed her time, her energy, and her passion to a cause that mattered deeply to her… she made the whole thing personal… [and] she was helping herself.”

3. He was concerned that a windfall of this magnitude could easily be mismanaged by even a very well-meaning organization. As he put it, “if you decide to give charitably, it’s important to understand everything you can about the way your money is going to be spent. That’s not happening here.” He compared it to winning a $75 million lottery jackpot, which worried him just as it should worry “anyone who has ever studied the fate of lottery winners.” He added, “That’s not their fault, but it doesn’t change the situation, and I’m not inclined to challenge more people to send more money to coffers that are already overflowing.”

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Like, Mike Rowe, I’m staying dry. I’m not against slacktivism (it can be a very effective tool for social change) but I also don’t feel the need to conform just because someone calls me out publicly. I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Rowe’s statement that we should all “ignore the gimmicks, get informed about the charities you wish to support, and contribute generously to whatever cause resonates with you.”

I donate money for the needy through my church monthly (and I’ve previously been involved in the distribution of those funds at local levels so I know there are no hidden overhead costs because everyone involved is a volunteer). I’ve also given countless hours of time (and the occasional donation) to my local Boy Scout troop. When I have a bit more discretionary income to donate I’d be more inclined to donate to 1p36 Deletion Support & Awareness (our daughter Lexi has 1p36 chromosome deletion syndrome), cancer research (a friend of mine just lost a 7+ year battle with breast cancer this week), or to support the efforts to provide education, clean water, food, and vaccinations for those who are the most vulnerable in our world community. I think most people fail to recognize Mr. Rowe’s assertion that for every dollar ALS research gets, less money goes to other deserving charities. I was most interested in his assertion that a non-profit can respond in much the same way a person does when they win the lottery (really stupidly) and a windfall of over $75 million has the potential (definitely not guaranteed but certainly a possibility) to do more harm than good.

Just to be clear, I’m not against slacktivism, genius marketing, or raising money for ALS, which is a devastating disease I certainly hope we find a cure for. I’m actually in favor of slacktivism where most people wouldn’t be. We discussed the positive influences of slacktivism in depth in my Psychology of Social Media course this summer. The ice bucket challenge, with all its pros and cons will certainly play a prominent role in my course when I teach it again next summer. It has been fascinating to watch this phenomenon unfold, go viral, and attract the lovers and the haters. I hope there are also plenty of people who are trying to look at the pros and cons objectively (whether or not they get on the bandwagon) without trying to ruin the party for everyone else. I hope this post was taken in that way. Then there are the trolls…

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