Monday 25 August 2014

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge - Do you even have ANY idea AT ALL?!

So this ALS Ice bucket challenge has been taking the Internet by storm - Everywhere, I mean literally EVERYWHERE, people are doing it and TALKING about it.


But how MANY are actually doing it RIGHT?

By saying "doing it right", I do not mean the right way of pouring that bucket of ice water over your head.

It's the REAL purpose behind the cause.
I have seen so many videos, each with different versions, and most of them were mainly the same content - with the subject pouring the ice water over himself/herself, and ending off with a nomination of 3 names of his/her choice.

JUST. LIKE. THAT.

There is no explanation, no detail, no mentioning of the Cause in the video. (Not even in the description as well!)


It's basically just a video of a person looking silly and wasting ice cubes away while trying to maintain composure as he/she pours the freezing water on his/her own head.

In other words, this person is only doing it because it is a supposed "trend"; hence its deemed to be an "IN" thing. Heck, some did it without even knowing what the Cause is all about! Isn't that doing for the sake of doing it?
(And there were still some ignorant people who got all defensive and said "OH, didn't you check out those famous people who did it as well? Even Bill Gates and George Bush are doing it!")

Like Duh. 
*Rolls eyes*

Of course, not all are in favor of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. I guess I am one of them.
While I feel that this is a good initiative to gain awareness of the disease and Cause itself, it does not really serve a monetary purpose. 

BUT it does serve a purpose if people can save the money that is used to purchase those ridiculous packets of Ice and DONATE them to charity.
LOL.


Don't get me wrong, I am not implying that it is wrong to engage in the Ice Bucket Challenge. Well, I do admit it is working well in a viral manner. 
BUT PLEASE, AT LEAST INCLUDE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF ALS AND PROVIDE A LINK THAT LEADS TO THE DONATION PAGE.


What's the purpose of posting a video bluntly and showing off to your friends that you have taken up their challenge?
Do you think everyone who VIEWS the video will know the message behind it if there isn't any information provided at all?!

Now here's a fact about the ALS disease:

There is no known cure for ALS
ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease (named after the renowned baseball player of the same name who was stricken with it in 1939), attacks a person's nerve cells and rapidly leads to total paralysis. The mind of someone diagnosed with it, however, remains sharp. 
The average lifespan is between two and five years from the time of diagnosis, although there is an approved drug that can prolong survival by a few months. It is quite rare, affecting approximately 30,000 people in the US.

P/S: I have no intention or means to offend anyone in particular with regards to this blog entry. This is definitely not targeted at anyone in particular. I just feel that people should actually know and UNDERSTAND the real purpose behind this Cause; and not doing for the sake of doing it.
It's easy to be a copycat and follow, but how much do you even know about the ALS disease in the first place?

1 comment:

  1. I feel you. I'm appalled at how some people are taking this challenge as a fun thing. And the biggest qn is: why do we have to waste clean water in the name of charity?
    Is that right?

    molly-mia.blogspot.sg

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