You Wanna Change the World?

It's not that easy.

It is driving me mental how people keep crapping all over ideas like Gap's (Red) thing. And now... this!

Listen, I get it. We are gross over-consumers. We can't stop buying. And companies are dying to sell [it] to us to the point that they'll even start tying charity to our purchases to make us feel better about them. Damn them!

Okay. So we should throw the baby out with the bath water?

The dealio, yo: as much as everyone likes the idea of donating -- it's just so noble and good and makes you feel all fuzzy about the state of the nation -- I would love to get some stats on how many people actually do it and how much of our collective GDP goes into charities. I'm thinking that number isn't nearly as high as it would be without companies tying some level of some profit to the goodness of our hearts.

I know. I too find our consumer culture vaguely sickening, and I too would love if we all were just inherently driven to give without thinking twice. And these companies may very well be doing it just to sell more product. They may very well be doing it for PR and attention. Their intentions may very well be total shite and the charity may very well be serving as an effective advertising vehicle on behalf of their brand. I totally get all of this.

But do we really care?

Non-profits benefit from corporate contributions every day, whether they're attached to products or publicity or whatever. Companies have money -- yeah, they may very well be doing it for tax benefits -- and there's lots to be given.

So what's the problem?

We just hate the idea of it. It's icky and makes us feel like maybe we should've just gone straight to the source. And now we're going to boycott them because they're scamming consumers and it just feels ethically grey and they're promoting this ugly consumerism and it's just not right and... well, where does that money go then? Do you call GlobalFund (or whatever fund your heart most adores) directly and make a donation then and there? And, even if you do, do you think that's the norm?

What happens to all these foundations and charities when companies stop giving? Why are we not okay with the market contributing to our social goals? After all, we are the ones who keep it alive and flourishing through all of our individual consumption -- ah, multiplier effects! How can we turn our noses up at our collective profit creation becoming part of where we want the world to be?

Ultimately, until there are no more people suffering from disease, illiteracy, poverty, or any other tragedies that encompass the human condition, I just don't feel ethically right standing on that moral high ground.