suckitude

[havenstar]

So, I've been quiet. I don't have a whole lot to say and most of what I have to say is like BUMMER CITY so why bother, right? But griping sometimes is probably good for me, instead of just repressing all the time. so. yeah. what up eljays

Comments

[paradise_city]

I've been curious about the strong reaction to Haiti, too. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad people are responding so altruistically, but there seems to be something unique about the motivations to do so.

[havenstar]

I think a big part of it is simply because it's been made so easy; there's the Red Cross text donation thing, the LJ v-gift, and even my local grocery store was/is doing a thing where you can add a Red Cross donation to your bill, in any amount, right at the register. But that just raises the extra question of why it's suddenly so easy, since I can't recall any sort of disaster relief response like this before. At first I assumed it was a local thing, since there's a moderately sized Haitian population in Florida, but I've realized that's not so, or at least that's not entirely it.

I know none of the donation things are particularly advanced technology, but I still think it's possible that donating online/through text is a new enough concept that that's why it hasn't been used more before. So I think that's part of it? I definitely think people donate loads more when it's convenient to them to do so. And I think the more convenient and in-your-face it is, the more people almost feel obligated to give. It's like peer pressure;

[paradise_city]

I also honestly think it might be partly due to the mindset a lot of people still seem to be in, with the Obama "yes we can" mentality. It's not directly about him, necessarily, but that whole concept of hope and working together and small things adding up to big things...

Interesting idea, and I can see how it fits. I guess I was thinking more about the outsourcing of funds. I can't see this kind of effort going into an American "support the under/unemployed!" kind of drive. Not that under/unemployment is at all on the same scale as the events in Haiti, but Americans tend to be pretty self-centered. Perhaps it's one of those "it could be worse" things? I'm not sure what's driving people, but they certainly reacted far more strongly than I would have anticipated.

[roman_cement]

I read your whole post, I swear I did, but all I can think right are...

"There are Torchwood books"

I. Whut. D: I don't care how terribly written they are, I feel compelled to read them.

/nerd-dom

[havenstar]

omg there are a BUNCH of Torchwood books! Only a couple of 'em have Owen and Tosh, which is kinda sad, but some of them are actually MORE FUN than the show so it balances out. umm let's see