Ok... I believe in humanity and society to generally do good. I believe that people fall down sometimes and they need help getting up.
So when I heard about "To Write Love On Her Arms" (TWLOHA) I thought "Wow, someone's out there doing some good. That's great!" I think the thing that hit me the most is that it was just a couple of friends stopping and helping another get out of a suicidal depression.
I thought it was great that they started a "movement" about this. Lots of people working together to just help one another. Awesome!
So when I go to their web site, what do I find? Lots of pages about promoting the movement and, apparently, a bunch of bands. There was just one page about where to get help, and that page is a long list of phone numbers and support resources. There's also a lot of cool shirts to buy.
???????
I thought this was supposed to be a movement about making people feel empowered to help each other. What do I find? The movement is more important than the mission. So sad.
I thought this was supposed to be a movement about making people feel empowered to help each other. What do I find? The movement is more important than the mission. So sad.
Hey pal, welcome to the real world. Not the warm-fuzzy one you thought it was, ehh ? :)
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I am reminded of something Ian MacKaye once said, after he was asked about his thoughts on the *StraightEdge Movement*:
"I think that the idea of straight edge, the song that I wrote, and the way people have related it it, there's some people who have abused it, they've allowed their fundamentalism to interfere with the real message, which in my mind, was that people should be allowed to live their lives the way they want to."
Granted, this is about 180 degrees away from what happened with the above site, but it's still got some of the same relevance. People, when given the chance, will capitalize off of a message.
Much the way that corporations brand their products with the breast cancer awarement ribbon to elicite emotional responses in potential female purchasers, and erotic ones in male purchasers.....
Oh, what a wonderful world....
PS- Don't get me started on all the love-in rallies for breast cancer...that'd just be a hoot...
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In my job I work with a lot of cutters. When I heard about this group I had hoped to find a lot of great resources to help me better understand and reach my students. Instead I found a site with very little information and a whole lot of "look how great we are because we care." I must say I was disapointed, but I wasn't very suprised because that seems to be the state of charity these days.
In my job I work with a lot of cutters. When I heard about this group I had hoped to find a lot of great resources to help me better understand and reach my students. Instead I found a site with very little information and a whole lot of "look how great we are because we care." I must say I was disapointed, but I wasn't very suprised because that seems to be the state of charity these days.
I have noticed that, for my own personal observations, I have seen this happen in more than one instance. Take MoveOn.org. They began as an organization supporting one specific cause. Now, because the original issue they supported is a moot point, they look for other things to get riled up about. Their mission statement is vague because the movement is now really about whatever they want it to be about, the cause célèbre of the moment.
I have noticed that, for my own personal observations, I have seen this happen in more than one instance. Take MoveOn.org. They began as an organization supporting one specific cause. Now, because the original issue they supported is a moot point, they look for other things to get riled up about. Their mission statement is vague because the movement is now really about whatever they want it to be about, the cause célèbre of the moment.
How is this such a surprise to you?
I have noticed that, for my own personal observations, I have seen this happen in more than one instance. Take MoveOn.org. They began as an organization supporting one specific cause. Now, because the original issue they supported is a moot point, they look for other things to get riled up about. Their mission statement is vague because the movement is now really about whatever they want it to be about, the cause célèbre of the moment.How is this such a surprise to you?
Because I'm generally an optimist about people being good and not assuming they're going to do things just for the sake of themselves.
How is this such a surprise to you?Because I'm generally an optimist about people being good and not assuming they're going to do things just for the sake of themselves.
Must be one disappointing life.....
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Maybe not a disappointing life, optimists rarely have serious negatives in their personal lives (outside the normal stuff, that is - e.g. deaths in the family and such), but I'm sure Veector is disappointed by human nature quite often.
Veector, this is why I'm NOT excited by current events. Many people jumped on a bandwagon thinking a certain someone would transcend politics. All I see is another politician, and one from the very corrupt Chicago Democratic Machine, to boot.
But then, I'm a cynic (Devil's Dictionary definition)...