Not enough hands on hearts

So it was kind of inevitable that I'd get nominated at some point for the pour a bucket of water over yourself challenge - & I knew it was going to cause me some consternation when I was.
Now I know I was nominated in good humour - & I'm happy to take part the same way - I love a wind-up as much as anyone - but this "challenge" has made me uneasy on lots of different levels.
For a start - its not a challenge - its peer pressure. No-one taking part has risked anything, gone an extra mile - or, and this is crux to me, chosen to do it. The fact that we need charities to raise funds for things as vital as medical research (or prevention of domestic violence, or to look after our fallen - take your pick) is a debate for a much broader platform than Blip - but in a world where we do then people should be choosing to take part because they realise its importance - not because they were nominated and it'll make their friends laugh.
Charitable giving - or even better endeavour, is a hugely personal thing for those who raise funds or awareness, and by this I mean those who do strive to go the extra mile (not one off donations) and for them there is nearly always a personal reason - the loss of a loved one, bad news closer to home or perhaps most admirably of all, a desire to help those less fortunate. I don't see any of that in this challenge.
A 'challenge' where the opt out option is to give more?!? - surely that's backwards - if raising funds was our real aim then surely you'd give more OR pour the bucket over your head?

So the money ? Sure MND will benefit - but I strongly suspect that not all of those taking part actually donate - fewer still will ever take the time to look up what those awful letters mean (Rest in Peace, Aubrey Taylor) & a lot of research indicates that undesired giving - the induced donation, simply takes funds from other projects that the individual would have supported, the so called moral licensing factor. Sustained fund raising only occurs when an individual has a connection to a cause, a connection that I'd suggest takes longer than the time it takes to dry your hair - and I can back that up empirically - I meet many people doing challenge events in my line of work - some are along for the fun -and some are there because it matters - and they are nearly always the ones who've raised the most or are going on to do more - because it matters to them, they've invested more than a moment of themselves and that, to me, is truly charitable.

The celebrities I see following this craze - for most it will just be more air time - how many will go on to visit a sufferer, donate a percentage of that next album - or just speak out. More and more I don't see these people as role models - within the realm of their achievements too many give too little back - these just aren't people I want to copy.

I can't stress enough I'm not having a go at anyone who's taken part - but I'll leave you with this question; what are you going to do next?