Thoughts On The Phenomena Of Social Media Nominated Challenges

Night Owl

Night Owl

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I suppose this is the right thread for such a topic, it does concern a social (cyber) phenomena.

Through social network outlets, namely Facebook, there is a mania of setting various 'challenges' as some kind of moral expression of solidarity with a particular social issue (i.e. breast cancer, poverty) and as an alleged means of bringing greater awareness to such a topic. The nature of these 'challenges' is to nominate others and if the nominated person/s do not meet the requirements of the said challenge, there is some kind of 'consequence' i.e. donating to a cause. There's probably a proper name for whatever these challenges are, and whatever this phenomena is or is a part of.

There has been the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Ice Cream Challenge. Now I notice people calling on others to do x amount of push-ups for x amount of days (i.e. 22 push ups, everyday for 22 days), for suicide prevention or something like that.

I'll share my views after some others have shared, so that I don't overly influence the opinions expressed; but my question:

What do you think of all of this?
 
I do professional volunteer work that has a direct relationship to equality and to dealing with historical injustices. I work for an incredible industry leader who is incessantly teaching me. I am very lucky for this. I try not to judge others who are not as lucky as me and are probably doing their best (but I still do judge them). But yeah, I'm critical of the practices. There's even a part of me that sees the majority of protest marches as social networking events or street parties rather than as viable political activity. But then I'm very much a lawful good type of person in the way I relate to the world. Society really does require perspectives other than mine in order to function.
 
I personally do not like these nominated challenges that float around on Facebook. On one level it seems to me to be novelty as opposed to ethical responsiveness. This is exacerbated that the challenge itself becomes so focal that the issue it's supposed to be supporting remains either a) unknown or b) forgotten in the midst of the challenge's spotlight and the person doing the challenge. I can't help but find it a way that people can pat themselves on the back without having to actually do something - to kid themselves that they are 'moral individuals' with a 'love for social justice'. At the same time I recognise sincere motives mixed in with this phenomena, and perhaps it isn't doing any harm to attempt to raise awareness and funding in this way - even if it isn't overly effective.

However this is slightly tangential since this aspect does not prompt me to oppose these challenges, for ultimately the reason why I am against these challenges is because of the notion of nomination. One has to nominate someone else, without their consent to do some stupid challenge that they might not want to do or might not be able to carry out, and if they can't or wont do the challenge then there's a sort of blackmailing pressure to donate OR ELSE one is seen as a 'bad person' - even though who knows how much good that person does in their local community. Thankfully I have not been nominated yet, and I hope I never am. I don't think it's right to carry out things like this that coerce people into doing something hailed as good, and then have this guilt trip imposed on those who don't dance to the tune of 'sentimentalism'. It's as though today it's more important to look like you're doing good than to actually be doing it. All these challenge things encroach on some kind of superstition - as if doing 34 sit-ups on a silver chair every day for six months is going to save the whales.

Anyway. That's my rant.
 
Night Owl said:
It's as though today it's more important to look like you're doing good than to actually be doing it.
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I share many of your thoughts on these challenges. They may start out with good intent, but as the "challenge" moves through the masses, the original purpose is lost as it becomes an ego stroke with all of the viral videos and news coverage for "best or funniest challenge video."

The nomination aspect of these challenges can put people on the spot. Suppose they are physically unable or are just unwilling to participate and they do not have the funds to donate to the cause? They may be unfairly judged by the people that are "doing good" for their own pride. (Who probably deserve a little of the guilt they impose on others.) That said...

I was surprised to learn that the funds raised from the ice bucket challenge led to a breakthrough. Here's a link to an article about it.

http://qz.com/743231/the-ice-bucket-challenge-worked-theres-been-a-breakthrough-in-als-research/

So maybe it's not all bad. Annoying? Yes. False goodness? Perhaps. But what if that goodness that was put forth for personal popularity actually inspires genuine goodness in someone else and gives them the courage to act on their goodness? I'm not saying that has happened, but it could I guess. As I sit here wrapped in a blanket of excessive idealism, I say that if these challenges do actually benefit others and improves the quality of life for the benefactors, then maybe a little bit of unwarranted guilt is a small sacrifice. Of course, I say this from America where we have guns and if anyone ever questions my supreme goodness I will shoot them on the spot.
 
I used to think they were of no merit.

That said, my father died of ALS, and within 6 weeks this thing called the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral.

And it raised a load of funds, which @Milktoast Bandit referenced above.

So I still want nothing to do with them, often think them silly, and don’t understand them as they are prime
examples of wild extroversion combined with visceral physicality as the focus of attention. :p

But I recognize they have real value.

I tend to avoid Facebook as much as possible, so no worries really.

I like the other thoughts expressed in this thread very much.


Thanks,
Ian
 
Yeah I'm kind of mixed about it... as well. On the one hand it seems like a well-meaning bandwagon and it's awesome that they raise funds- like in the case of the ice bucket challenge. But I do think the guilt tripping is rather rude.

Honestly a lot of FB is just guilt tripping and that's why I tend to not go on. Because, honestly, I don't need to share a cheesy post for my sister to know that I love her. Another thing that bothers me about FB is those posts that start out sounding rather... harsh and then go into something like "I'm my own person, so THERE"- like if you /are/ your own person, why do you need to say that? And why do you need to talk about everyone else like they're out to get you? I'm probably not making any sense! XP Oh well. There's good things and bad things in everything.
 
I really enjoyed your rant (keep it up!) and in particular what you wrote here:

Night Owl said:
I don't think it's right to carry out things like this that coerce people into doing something hailed as good, and then have this guilt trip imposed on those who don't dance to the tune of 'sentimentalism'. It's as though today it's more important to look like you're doing good than to actually be doing it.
Click to expand...

This resonated with me as my hubby and I were only talking about this yesterday - similar to the example you gave but the situation we encountered occurred in a public setting (too long go into the details). Facebook never appealed to me (for so many reasons) so highly unlikely that I will be propositioned. In all honesty, if I'm going to spend my time feeling guilty then it's going to be self inflicted rather than induced or coerced by others!

I think it's great that ice bucket challenge was a success and I'm all for raising money for good causes etc. My thoughts rest more on the motive and heart of the individuals involved in these challenges....and you expressed it very well when you wrote:

Night Owl said:
that the challenge itself becomes so focal that the issue it's supposed to be supporting remains either a) unknown or b) forgotten in the midst of the challenge's spotlight and the person doing the challenge.
Click to expand...

Just something I've noticed (of course it's subjective) but there's definitely more contrived "sentimentalism" going on around these days....
 
@Milktoast Bandit - certainly, as you said, "So maybe it's not all bad". You raised some good and wholesome points. For however wrought with nonsense (to put it lightly) such things are, there's a silver lining, and at the end of the day, so what? Some people want to throw some water on their head and upload it to youtube for the sake of a cause, and all in all funds are being raised, and awareness being raised - even if imperfectly. Thus @aeon 's comment that "they have real value" does hold up, even if such value is limited and the nominated nature of such challenges is far from ideal.

If such challenges were modified to be volunteer-opted as opposed to nomination based, then I think that'd be better. As it would remove an explicit coercion, and reduce both the guilt-tripping that occurs and a show-off element of "look what I've done, so you should to" - which nominating others via a post is like: i.e. like flashing one's badge. This is akin to the kinds of posts on FB/twitter which one can have if they donate to a charity: i.e. "I donated $50 to save the children. Will you support the starving children like me?" People pretend they share such posts to raise awareness, but it's a guise for egoism; instead, if one wants to raise awareness one can simply share a link to a charity without drawing attention to how 'good a person' one is. However, the novel character of these social media challenges, even if they draw attention to oneself, can help (imperfectly) raise awareness whilst being a good fund raiser, so that's where they differ I guess.

@Hoodie yes, you raise a good few points. It made sense (...mostly :D) Indeed, there is a strong, and even a rising sense of self-righteousness and all pervasive moralism, worse than the worst hell fie, guilt-shaming kind of Christian (I'm speaking as a Christian), present within society. And FB (tumblr too... ew) is a dominant medium through which these ugly aspects play-out.
 
Isabella said:
Just something I've noticed (of course it's subjective) but there's definitely more contrived "sentimentalism" going on around these days....
Click to expand...

I do agree, I think sentimentalism is getting worse. There's another thread topic... some day lol
 
@aeon I wanted to write this in its own post, apart from the fripperies of this thread. I'm sorry to hear that. For the little nothing that it may amount to, I send my sincerest condolences to you for the loss of your father. Aside from whatever nonsense is spoken of in regards to these challenges at least they've generated discussion, such as right here, in which we're talking on various topics/issues, in which you've personally shared the loss of your father, and have thus invited us to honour his memory. Thank you for that.
 
@Night Owl

Received with gratitude and thankfulness.
 
Night Owl said:
I suppose this is the right thread for such a topic, it does concern a social (cyber) phenomena.

Through social network outlets, namely Facebook, there is a mania of setting various 'challenges' as some kind of moral expression of solidarity with a particular social issue (i.e. breast cancer, poverty) and as an alleged means of bringing greater awareness to such a topic. The nature of these 'challenges' is to nominate others and if the nominated person/s do not meet the requirements of the said challenge, there is some kind of 'consequence' i.e. donating to a cause. There's probably a proper name for whatever these challenges are, and whatever this phenomena is or is a part of.

There has been the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Ice Cream Challenge. Now I notice people calling on others to do x amount of push-ups for x amount of days (i.e. 22 push ups, everyday for 22 days), for suicide prevention or something like that.

I'll share my views after some others have shared, so that I don't overly influence the opinions expressed; but my question:

What do you think of all of this?
Click to expand...

It's doubleplusgood for throwing money at things to more-ify warm fuzziness in the conscience without personal effort! Viral is best! Buy number one super wristband according to the color of the bad thing! You will kill it collectively!

Sorry, my brain went all Dr. Bronner's for a second. But that pretty much sums it up.
 
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