Hot take: That influencer who got canceled for faking a charity run actually made me donate more

I rolled my eyes at the whole scandal last summer, but seeing the backlash made me actually look up local food banks. I ended up giving $50 to one in my town because I felt like I had to do something real after watching the fake stuff online. Has anyone else felt that weird push to donate after a big cancellation story?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_hill271mo ago

Kind of embarrassing to admit, but I once donated to a charity because I felt guilty my dog had a nicer winter coat than most homeless people. My wallet is basically run by guilt at this point, with my brain just nodding along. So yeah, I totally get that weird "must do something real" push after watching online drama.

nancy_ross1mo ago

Guilt is a terrible long term strategy for picking charities, but it's still better than doing nothing at all. The trick is to channel that guilt into research so you're not just throwing money at the first sad thing that pops up. Your dog's coat might look nice, but homeless folks need more than a coat they actually need housing, so maybe aim your next donation at something that tackles the root cause instead.