It's the digital version of panhandling, and it's unfortunate that the few on there who have (in my opinion) a legitimate need are so overshadowed by those begging for a new camera or to go on a trip.
One of my friends, who has done a lot of writing and I can assure you has not made much money at all from being a writer while producing a lot of content for free (and has written a couple of legit books) recently had a stroke that paralyzed one side of his body. He's now in physical therapy and geting other serious treatment. He's 48 years old and has four kids; only the eldest one is out of the house. He's not wealthy by any means, and needs help paying his medical bills. A friend put up a GoFundMe page for his family, probably unbeknownst to him, all because of compassion and people are starting to donate (he's almost up to $1000, which is like a drop in the bucket when it comes to covering medical expenses in the US).
That's the kind of situation that GoFundMe and similar sites are for. Not for vanity projects, paying for your dream wedding, funding plastic surgery, throwing parties, interior design, and springing for fripperies that are not emergencies and are not virtuous.
These people are ruining the reputation of internet-based, crowdsourced funding. They have no shame.
GoFundMe's website would disagree with you on that. And I don't think asking for money even if it is not an emergency is necessarily bad. And if people want to make an ass of themselves, well, now they have a new avenue to do so.
The juxtaposition of all these things on one site is weird though, I agree, and it would be bad if it stained the reputation of the "better" causes. A site specialized in "emergency" funds certainly could look more respectable and potentially add more value as a community. But would process less funds and make less money...
And that's not getting in the whole "privatizing risks that should be caught by society" (or not) discussion...
I don't understand it, but people can be completely honest in their disconnect from shame when asking for money for completely unnecessary things.
The people asking for help with extremely difficult times, sicknesses, etc., those people that legitimately need help, probably feel enough shame for everyone.
I don't really have a problem with that, or people busking online. But before you plug in those credit card digits, you should ask yourself: "If I met this person on the street and they asked me to fund their {pet's surgery, vacation, novel}, would I do it?"
I had my "a-ha" moment for crowdfunding about 8 years ago. A friend-of-a-friend who was a promoter/bartender, whom I had just met, asked me to fund his Jewish contemporary art show. He seemed very passionate about getting it going. The total sum required was a few thousand dollars, so it seemed like an honest pitch. He friended me on Facebook and sent me the link to Kickstater. Later that night I was about to make a donation, but I stopped. "I don't even know his guy. Why am I giving him $50?" And that's when I linked the two behaviors.
Just because there's a nicely designed UI between you and the beggar doesn't make it something other than begging. I call it "busking" as opposed to "begging" because they are actually performing - they're (both the website and the person; they work in tandem) trying to make you believe they're not a beggar.
That said, panhandling is one of the more impressive sales accomplishments in our modern world. Good panhandlers understand the math - about 15% of people give, 15% of people call you a bum/tell you to get a job/otherwise insult you, about 25% just walk by and the remaining 40% say no. Consequently, they have learned that the only way to make enough money is to be relentless and keep asking, even if the last person threatened to kick your ass. Good panhandlers will make 200-300 contacts a day...
As a sales problem, panhandling has almost no compare. Your only 'product' is your humanity. And, unfortunately, since many of the people who panhandle have some rough years behind them they don't always look very good.
As a startup type, I have way more in common with panhandlers than people who work for the government. Their hustle both amuses and inspires me.
That's all a long, roundabout way of saying, "Seriously, don't use the word beggar. With all due respect, you don't know how much pain that word causes."
As for the well dressed fellow with the iPod, he may not live on the streets - truth is that many panhandlers have homes. But, I assure you that his clothing and iPod are part of his pitch. People are nicer to folks who look like them.
> That's all a long, roundabout way of saying, "Seriously, don't use the word beggar. With all due respect, you don't know how much pain that word causes."
Yes, I know how much pain it causes; so much pain that people are begging from behind technology now. Those people on Patreon/GoFundMe would never stand out on the street with a cup, because it's too painful for them. That's why I call it busking, which is begging with a performance.
for some reason my brain is not making the jump here.
Is the word bum equally offensive?
Is pan handler preferred because it sounds like more skill is required? what about if there is no tact or pitch and someone is just begging for food?
my brain seems to think all variations of this act are not things you would want to be called, despite if your engaged in it. but is it not calling an apple an apple?
just curious, not disagreeing and would like to know more, thanks
I don't think anybody is claiming that asking for money online should be illegal.