Week 9

This week in class, we talked a lot about the amplification of prosocial behavior on social media. Specifically, we discussed the ALS ice-bucket challenge that went viral on social media last summer. If you were challenged by someone, you either had to donate $100 to the ALS charity or dump a bucket of ice water over your head. We discussed whether dumping a bucket of ice water on your head actually benefits ALS or not. I think yes. The reason I think these kind of things are beneficial to a cause is simply because the awareness it brings. Yes, dumping ice water on your head is not going to cure ALS, but it will bring awareness to what the degenerative disease actually is. Of those people that see it and become aware, some may donate, some may do the challenge and then challenge others who will choose to donate, and some will do both. On the other hand, there are people like Mike Rowe who will choose not to participate. His reasoning was that all of the money is going to fight this one single disease and taking away the money to fight all the thousands of other diseases people are suffering from. I understand his point, but I don't necessarily agree. So much of the money donated to the ALS fund would have not otherwise been donated to another charity. Many of the people only donated because they heard about it or were challenged. I would say most people did not think "well instead of donating my yearly amount to this other charity, I think I will give it to the ALS fund instead." So much of that money donated would have otherwise been spent on frivolous things, not other charities. 

     Anyway, I think social media is a GREAT was to amplify prosocial behavior. Even if someone is not giving their own money, they are spreading the word across the world that will reach others who will actually donate. Social media has not made people more susceptible to performing mass acts of kindness; it has simply given us a way to come together and do it.