ALS Ice Bucket Challenge – a blessing and a curse?

2014 seems to be the year of challenges. Actually, these things are often harmless in their origins and also have a positive meaning. But due to their own dynamics and opponents, each of these challenges has had a bitter aftertaste.

The beer nomination and fire challenge quickly reached their ethical limits; the cold water challenge even left fatalities. And now critics are increasingly finding criticism of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which seems very harmless. Justified?

(Screenshot: YouTube )

The original thought

There is of course a fixed idea behind this challenge, basically a kind of set of rules.

The challenge is to pour a bucket of cold water over your head and then nominate three or more people who then have 24 hours to do the same and donate 10 US dollars or 10 euros to the ALS Association. If you don't want to pour a bucket of water over your head, you should donate 100 US dollars, or 100 euros, to the ALS Association.

(Quote: Wikipedia )

It is a fundraising campaign to raise awareness of the neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The ice water also makes sense, as ALS is a nerve disease that not only causes muscle loss but also uncontrolled muscle twitching, and the moment you are doused with ice water recreates the symptoms for people who are not sick.

According to the company's own information, the current donation amount is now 88.5 million (see ALSA homepage ).

So far – so honorable!

The statements

Thanks to the many celebrity participants and their sometimes nice ideas in implementation, the Ice Bucket Challenge has achieved worldwide fame. YouTube now has around 1,800,000 videos with the description Ice Bucket Challenge.

(Screenshot: YouTube search )

According to the company's own information, the number of videos uploaded to Facebook can be estimated at 2.4 million videos. If you scroll through your news stream, you are guaranteed to see a video on the topic.

The critics

As with every major campaign, there are criticisms here too. It was noted very early on that many of the participants had recently forgotten why they were pouring a bucket of ice water over their heads. Critics complain that the message and intention are no longer passed on, but that a pure fun event in a fun society has emerged.

Marcus Werner writes in his column in Wirtschaftswoche :

In the beginning, the Ice Bucket Challenge was about donations and fun - now it's all about belonging and checking things off. It is enough!

Further:

And that's really fast now! Because not only do friends appear on Facebook with their videos, but complete strangers who have been liked by friends of friends also appear.

In addition to the fact that a lot of people are now pushing to take part, there are now also moral accusations against the Ice Bucket Challenge. Almost ironic, right?

The objection to being careless with water, as this element is urgently needed elsewhere in the world, emerged several days ago. Here, with the help of an image, it was made clear that (Western) society no longer appreciates the value of water as an essential foodstuff and treats a foodstuff that is urgently necessary for people's survival in dry regions, for example, in a derisive manner.

There is now suddenly new criticism from a medical organization.

(Screenshot: Facebook )

This objection is not a fake, it is actually a kind of counter-campaign by the registered association Doctors Against Animal Experiments , which argues as follows:

“The ALS Society makes no secret of the fact that it relies on “animal models” in its research, as it is called in the life-contemptuous jargon of animal experimenters.”

As well as

The Association of Doctors Against Animal Experiments calls on all ice water nominees not to donate to the ALS Association in order not to become complicit in their painful and senseless animal experiments. At the same time, she calls on the ALS Association to immediately stop research on animals and to use the donations for non-animal tests with human cells, computer simulations and biochips.

The voices on this demand are now divided; it is best to leave everyone's own opinion on the call.

These two, directly successive comments on exactly the point of criticism of the medical organization clearly show the points of view. We will therefore not delve into the topic any further here.

What is the best way to behave?

Because of the back-and-forth of opinions, many are now wondering about the correct way to behave if you are nominated. One can only recommend the old saying here:

live and let live

This applies to all sides. Since humanity is pluralistic and one cannot clearly define “good or bad” in this case, everyone should be allowed to participate - but also not to participate! Here, too, it must be clearly emphasized that no one can be forced to participate or make donations.

An action that is, in its original sense, charitable must not mutate into a social coercion.

Author: Andre, mimikama.org