Anyone change their Facebook profile pic to a cartoon character yet?

[KTrain]

It seems like a couple people on here donated money because this raised awareness. That was the intent so it worked.

The world, and the internet in particular, is full snark and pessimism. Just let these people have someone fun and make others think about child abuse for a second or two. I've never understood the desire to ##### on someone for doing something you don't believe in even though it doesn't affect you at all.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

I understand what you're saying. But to me it is all platitudes. Does it make sense? Yes. Are you probably right? Yes. But that seems like a semi hokey response to enable slacktivism.

I don't know how it is enabling slackivism when people are donating who wouldn't donate otherwise. If it wasn't for this campaign or whatever you want to call it I wouldn't have donated to child abuse in December. But I have and know many who have now.

Who cares about the "98%" (your made up number) who won't donate, how many people do you think just walk past the vet asking for donation for poppies? How many people don't wear pink for breast cancer or donate?

Is it only worth it if you get over a certain percentage of donations to people who 'show' support instead of showing their wallets?

[Yeah_Baby]

Probably because the other signs of support are offline. Not on Facebook.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Probably because the other signs of support are offline. Not on Facebook.

Okay so this has more to do with your hate of Facebook than the actual campaign itself. Now that's sad!

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Okay so this has more to do with your hate of Facebook than the actual campaign itself. Now that's sad!

No I don't hate Facebook. I'm on Facebook way too much. But I think that Facebook is a contributing factor to why this annoys me. Whatever. I still think the whole campaign is lame. A few weeks ago there was something about supporting teachers. I'm an Education student and still thought that was lame.

[GirlySports]

The world is different now, we're old.
Maybe in order to make youths more aware of stuff, we have to come up with cute things like changing the profile picture to a cartoon to grab their attention. It's lame to us but all my cousins who are in the 16-24 age range eat this up.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

The world is different now, we're old.
Maybe in order to make youths more aware of stuff, we have to come up with cute things like changing the profile picture to a cartoon to grab their attention. It's lame to us but all my cousins who are in the 16-24 age range eat this up.

I'm 24 and I think it's lame. But I guess I just like to #### on others.

[TSXCman]

what an important cause to be a part of.

[Bunk]

From STUFF WHITE PEOPLE LIKE

#18 Awareness

An interesting fact about white people is that they firmly believe that all of the world’s problems can be solved through “awareness.” Meaning the process of making other people aware of problems, and then magically someone else like the government will fix it.

This belief allows them to feel that sweet self-satisfaction without actually having to solve anything or face any difficult challenges. Because, the only challenge of raising awareness is people not being aware. In a worst case scenario, if you fail someone doesn’t know about the problem. End of story.

What makes this even more appealing for white people is that you can raise “awareness” through expensive dinners, parties, marathons, selling t-shirts, fashion shows, concerts, eating at restaurants and bracelets. In other words, white people just have to keep doing stuff they like, EXCEPT now they can feel better about making a difference.

Raising awareness is also awesome because once you raise awareness to an acceptable, aribtrary level, you can just back off and say “Bam! did my part. Now it’s your turn. Fix it.”

So to summarize – you get all the benefits of helping (self satisfaction, telling other people) but no need for difficult decisions or the ensuing criticism (how do you criticize awareness?). Once again, white people find a way to score that sweet double victory.

Popular things to be aware of: The Environment, Diseases like Cancer and AIDS, Africa, Poverty, Anorexia, Homophobia, Midde School Field Hockey/Lacrosse teams, Drug Rehab, and political prisoners.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008.../18-awareness/

[SebC]

As a child, I was deprived of television. To the people who are doing this... you're all jerks!

[Joborule]

On one hand, I like to snicker about people that change the picture, do nothing (donate) when the have the ability to do so, but feel like they've done a lot.

On the other, if it wasn't for this little campaign, I wouldn't be thinking of child abuse and think to donate. So it works.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by Joborule

On one hand, I like to snicker about people that change the picture, do nothing (donate) when the have the ability to do so, but feel like they've done a lot.

On the other, if it wasn't for this little campaign, I wouldn't be thinking of child abuse and think to donate. So it works.

But did you donate?

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Someone could post a picture of Homer strangling Bart

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

totally stole the Homer & Bart picture and put my facebook status:

If you're going to change your profile picture to a cartoon to help raise awareness about child abuse, please DONATE to help fight child abuse as well. Merely changing your picture is slacktivism, it only costs a few dollars


then I commented on my own status with a link to UNICEF: https://secure.unicef.ca/portal/Smar...209&appealID=1

Have to give a post thanks to both of these posts since I just did this on facebook. Love the pic, haha.

Originally Posted by CMPunk

But did you donate?

Going too asap. College student broke today.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Since the Homer Bart choke picture is in bad taste but still topical...I almost put this up..but thought better of it...as a HUGE Tintin fan...I have no idea if this is legit...

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally Posted by SebC

As a child, I was deprived of television. To the people who are doing this... you're all jerks!

Says the guy with an avatar of a cartoon from our childhoods

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

I'm 24 and I think it's lame. But I guess I just like to #### on others.

You're an old soul.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by HOOT

And maybe those 2% wouldn't donate to this cause if it wasn't for this. Like I've been saying all along if it turns out that this cause gets one more dollar or one child finds the courage to say something it's worth it. If you are expecting millions to be raised and the child abuse to suddenly stop, then you are right this is pointless.

Except this is the example of the thought process YB is talking about. If there was any sincerity behind this then people would be donating their time and money instead of their facebook pages. This "Well, if someone else does something to help child abuse, then I've done my part" idea is so obviously self-serving.

Do you think anyone who changed their picture is going to give two thoughts to this after Dec. 6? So instead they post a little cartoon and congratulate themselves "for raising awareness" and then leave the part that requires any effort up to somebody else. How about instead of doing something that has a debatable impact on the cause, contribute something that you KNOW will help (i.e. your time or money).

Pledge runs are a great example of both raising awareness and actually contributing to the cause. Movember used to be like that, but now it's starting to fall into the former category of "slactivism." How many people grew moustache for "awareness" as opposed to taking the effort to set up a page and collect money?

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Except this is the example of the thought process YB is talking about. If there was any sincerity behind this then people would be donating their time and money instead of their facebook pages. This "Well, if someone else does something to help child abuse, then I've done my part" idea is so obviously self-serving.

Do you think anyone who changed their picture is going to give two thoughts to this after Dec. 6? So instead they post a little cartoon and congratulate themselves "for raising awareness" and then leave the part that requires any effort up to somebody else. How about instead of doing something that has a debatable impact on the cause, contribute something that you KNOW will help (i.e. your time or money).

Pledge runs are a great example of both raising awareness and actually contributing to the cause. Movember used to be like that, but now it's starting to fall into the former category of "slactivism." How many people grew moustache for "awareness" as opposed to taking the effort to set up a page and collect money?

As always rube you eloquently post what I mean but can't say. I'd suggest a career in law.

[HOOT]

You're assuming that no one has donated money because of this, which they have. So if the point of campaigns are to raise awareness, money and time this has done all that. Sure some people won't donate but as you pointed out that happens for Movember as well. Do you think everyone donates to every charity? No some people may still wear pink for Breast Cancer and not donate a penny. How many people do you see without poppy's on now a days? Tons!

Should they stop from trying to to collect money, bring awareness and recruit others to their cause because of a few people who don't donate?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by HOOT

You're assuming that no one has donated money because of this, which they have. So if the point of campaigns are to raise awareness, money and time this has done all that. Sure some people won't donate but as you pointed out that happens for Movember as well. Do you think everyone donates to every charity? No some people may still wear pink for Breast Cancer and not donate a penny. How many people do you see without poppy's on now a days? Tons!

Should they stop from trying to to collect money, bring awareness and recruit others to their cause because of a few people who don't donate?

Except we're not talking about the campaigns themselves or the people who donate. I'm talking about the mentality of someone being content with putting up a cartoon and then ignoring the issue for the rest of the year, while still claiming to be of help to the situation. The whole basic idea of facebook activism is that it absolves the person who posts a picture of actually doing anything tangible because they believe they've already done something by "raising awareness."

The fact that none of these status updates include any links to donate or facts regarding ways for kids to get support, report incidents, etc. speaks even louder to how disingenuous the whole thing is.