There is this girl at my work who is raising money for some charity (i think its muscular distrophy) which is very cool, but i feel that the only reason she is doing it is because she will gain something in return. She is a runner and if she raises $5000 than she gets to participate in a run in Hawaii (expenses paid). She is raising money through BBQ's at work, auctions, 50/50 tickets and the like.

For a while i was thinking that it seemed pretty selfish of her, and that the $5000 she raises will quickly turn into $3500 after a plane ticket. That if she truly cared about the cause, then she wouldn't mind donating the full amount and feeling happy that she did a good thing.

Then i climbed down of my moral high horse and got to thinking about how I am really no different. Every event that she puts on, be it a lunch or draw or whatever, she only gets my money because i want to have some food, or a chance to win some money etc...Only once have i donated to her cause without getting something in return (she had a bake sale but i don't really eat much sugar, so i just gave her a 5 sheet).

So that got me thinking even more about charity in general, and that there are very few instances in a year when i donate to an organization without getting SOMETHING, or the chance at something, in return. I know deep down inside i'm not going to win the 4x4 truck, and i still don't mind parting with some extra cash....but i probably wouldn't have done it without some sort of incentive. In fact in a year i probably donate maybe $20 in selfless charitable funds.

So am i a selfish person? I didn't think so, but maybe i really am. Is the girl at my work selfish? Maybe, but she is doing something good for a good cause, and regardless of her personal gain in the end, she is probably giving up a lot of free time.

Does anybody else feel the same way? How many charities would you donate to if there was not some sort of potential personal gain in it for you?


Sorry to be kinda depressing on a friday , i'm just curious.

I never donate my time w/o the promise of a free t-shirt.

I feel selfish sometimes. the only charity i give to regularly is the Jimmy V fund, which I have given $200 to each of the last few years. I do things like enter charity raffles and stuff, but I might do it for the chance to win something. I feel I should donate more.

I feel if i had more money, than i would probably donate more. As it is i'm really just living paycheck to paycheck...But in reality i could probably do without some of the things i have.

As long as she's up front with her intentions with the money, caveat emptor I believe is the phrase.

How many Americans do you think would donate to charity on a regular basis without some kind of benefit (food, t-shirts, tax breaks, public recognition, etc)??

0.0002%??

Charities know this. They work within this reality. There's no reason to feel guilty or make others feel guilty about it.

True, it's not like she's hiding anything. It just got me thinking because my girlfriend has been up in arms about it (we work in the same building) saying that she should have to pay for someones trip to Hawaii, but there is still a greater good beyond that.

It seems that the only way a charitable organization can get any funding at all is to play into humanity's selfishness, and i guess it's that idea that has me down.

Yea, I feel you. I have a pretty good savings account for someone my age, I think. I could afford to donate more, but I don't. Partly because the money could be part of my next down payment for a car (if something ever happens to my jeep), part of a down payment for a house in a few years, or electronics or something.

Dan Reis?

keep in mind, that many companies work with the charities to allow prizes and such. I would bet the trip to hawaii is probably partially (if not entirely) comped by a sponser and doesnt actually cost the charity anything.


and anything given to charity is done selfishly- be it for the possibility of material gain (raffle's) or just so someone can feel better about their contribution. You always gain something by giving.

except aids. keep that to yourself.

IT"S A FAGGOT DISESEAZE!

i can think of another totally non selfish charity i give; i give blood every few months

You know you just do it for the cookies!!!

I used to give blood every 56 days. When I got to a gallon, I kinda quit (actually I tried going 2 mo after I hit a gallon, but my iron was too low so they turned me away, and I haven't tried again since, even though I can). So really, I discovered that even though I Thought I was being selfless, I really was doing it for a reason.. to reach a specific goal.

Now I need to just get a new goal in my head 5 gallons?

It doesn't help that there is a nurse I work with who has a negative attitude toward giving blood. 1) she says the more times you get your blood drawn, the more you are destroying that vein for further pokes, and therefore, what if you are in a massive trauma and they need vascular access??!! aaaaahhhh!!! and all your veins are just ruined from giving blood????? (okay, I don't really buy into this one).
2) She has heard of a man who died when giving blood because when the needle went into a vein, it broke off a tiny chunk of plaque and it went to his heart or lungs or brain or something and he had a stroke/heart attack and died.

Which are both just stupid excuses, but they havent' helped me get back into it.

And I Do donate a measly amount to charity every year. Like $6 from every paycheck.. which equals a whopping 156 bucks a year, and I usually throw a few bucks to charity when I'm filing my taxes and that's about it.

Although I do often give to youth organizations without wanting anything in return. If they are selling magazines or popcorn or giftwrap etc. I just give them a $5 and tell them to keep it for the organization instead of buying anything. I Don't see the point of spending 8$ on wrapping paper, when the organization will probably only see $3 of it.

Casey

That's a really wicked idea

I feel as if this is exactly how all American's feel. Except that when they do get more money to donate, they'll probably just spend it, and repeat the quote above once more.

Don't worry, I feel like that too. I'll generally feel down tomorrow after I get back from the city and don't give 100 francs to all the beggers that come my way, when in deep reality, I can afford it.

even rich people, like bands, do most of their charity because of the taxes, it doesnt matter about intention, if the peopl ethat need it, get it, i have zero problems with it.