I'm particularly interested in understanding human nature. What drives decisions our decisions? Why do we act the way that we do? Where do our personal preferences come from? I am constantly trying to figure people out. I listen, observe and try to understand.
I love all of this so much, that I wanted to make a career out of it and in college, had changed my major to Sociology for about a year and a half. Then one semester I had to take a research methodology class that was mixed with graduate level students and my fear of failure got the best of me. I couldn't fathom getting anything lower than a B, something I thought was imminent, and so for the first and only time in my college career, I dropped the class and instantly changed my major. However, my desire to understand human beings has never gone away.
This week, I have been particularly interested in the success of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
The viral campaign that has taken over social networks and become a favorite of athletes, celebrities and more is actually helping. The "Ice Bucket Challenge," designed to raise awareness for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, has now raised over $15.6 million from July 29 through August 18, the ALS Association tells NBC News in a written statement. That's compared to just $1.8 million in that same period in 2013. (NBC News.com)
That is A LOT of money!
You see, I'm currently training for a marathon with Team World Vision in effort to raise money to provide clean water, a basic necessity, for people who currently don't have access to it. Since 2005, Team World Vision has raised around $5 million. (team.worldvision.org)
This is fascinating to me. All kinds of questions circle my head around the difference in the level of giving towards a campaign that raises awareness for people who most likely already have access to all of the basic necessities of life with the reality that there are mothers in Africa whose babies are dying because they don't have access to clean water.
For me, doing what I can to provide access to clean water, a basic necessity, seems like a no brainer. I'm much more apt to give to an organization that has a proven track record of providing a solution to the #1 preventable cause of death on earth. (team.worldvision.org)
(Image from team.world.vision.org)
Nearly 783 million people do not have access to safe water. (team.worldvision.org)
Contrast this with ALS. Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. As many as 30,000 Americans have the disease at any given time. (alsa.org)
I have a hard time understanding why so many people have been compelled to give to ALS, but aren't compelled to provide a basic necessity for someone else.
I'm not saying that anyone who gives to ALS or any other disease related charity is doing something wrong or bad. Diseases are terrible, of course we want to research them and find ways to make things better. I am simply trying to understand why so many more people are compelled to give in this way.
Is it because celebrities have gotten on board?
Is it because you can challenge someone else?
Is it because you can share it on social media and show everyone how big your heart is?
Is it because someone you know and love has ALS?
I doubt I would be as curious about this if it wasn't for the simple fact that the very thing I'm passionate about providing, clean water, is being wasted in a challenge to raise money for another organization. My guess is that most people who did the Ice Bucket Challenge wouldn't even find the water that many people in Africa drink, fit to dump over their heads. So I may be a bit snarky, but it is out of sheer frustration that others aren't as passionate about providing clean water as I am, which leads to my curiosity.
I would love to hear your thoughts. If you participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge and gave money, would you please comment and help me understand what your motivating factor was? What influences your generosity? How do you decide which organizations you give to?
I'd love to know how I can help bring clean water to more people, so I'd love to hear your answers.
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