Friday, October 16, 2009

You call this giving?

Liquor Control Board of OntarioImage via Wikipedia

Recently I was in my local LCBO store. As I paid for my beer the fine lady at the cash asked me if I wanted to contribute two dollars to the United Way.

I sighed and said no thank you. What I was really thinking was a tad bit different. I wanted to say that what she was really asking me was do I want to give $1.60 to the people who are employed by The United Way so that they may take 40 cents of my money to give to a myriad of charities.

As far as I'm concerned, that is not giving, its taking. Thank God, the internet is providing a pathway that will change the dynamic of giving, so that these puffy, bloated Byzantine entities will eventually disappear.

I recently gave a fine friend fifty bucks for the cause. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the real donation was ten bucks. Perception beats reality every time, and people are drawn to the easiest path that makes them feel like they are making a difference.

All of this begs the question, do you give to help people, or do you give so you can feel good about yourself?

To be honest, I have no quick answer to this question as it pertains to myself.

http://goyestoeverything.com