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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not do the ice bucket challenge

218 replies

Morethanalittlebitconfused · 22/08/2014 21:27

I've not been nominated so it's a moot point really but if I were nominated I point blank wouldn't do it

DH thinks I'm being unreasonable on this, am I?

OP posts:
BeCool · 22/08/2014 23:39

I've seen loads of these on FB and other online media but I still don't know what ALS is - so it can't be that effective at raising awareness.

Redglitter · 22/08/2014 23:49

millions of people who hadn't heard of It now know what it is. You might not know the details but you've now heard of it so it HAS raised awareness

WineWineWine · 22/08/2014 23:51

There is an amazing video that I saw on Upworthy that really explains why ALS is such an important cause.

I don't understand why anyone gets annoyed by things like this. It has raised millions so people have been donating. So what if a whole loads of celebs have done it. If you don't want to do it, just don't do it. No one said it was compulsory! But don't complain about other people doing it when it is a lot of fun for people who have done it, doesn't hurt anyone, has raised awareness of a horrible disease and raised a massive amount of money.

The only person who I am aware of who has been soaked without their prior agreement was Jeremy Clarkson, and I think he'll cope!

GlitterBelle · 22/08/2014 23:59

I think it's terrible Macmillan have stolen it. It's not often a rare condition gets some attention. It's always Macmillan/Cancer Research UK.

I have a rare condition (still lots of people with it though!) There is zero research. Our charity is tiny. I'd be thrilled if it was finally our turn to get some awareness and money raised, and it's so wrong of Macmillan to steal their idea and donations.

People donate to charities like that anyway, without the challenge.

TheMightyMing · 23/08/2014 00:08

Thanks darkest that's nice of you.

TheFairyCaravan · 23/08/2014 00:15

I'm not doing it, but I will make a donation.

I know a little bit about MND, but not much. It is terrible that MacMillan have stolen the idea, they made a lot of money from the no make-up selfies.

Darkesteyes · 23/08/2014 00:24

Theres a thread about the Macmillan debacle in Chat.

Redglitter · 23/08/2014 00:24

The Mcmillan fb page is getting quite heated with a lot of people accusing them of playing dirty

WeAreEternal · 23/08/2014 07:22

I was not gaslighting Darkesteyes, Posters have described the IceBucketChallenge as stupid and pointless, I was pointing out that the challenge has raised enormous amounts of awareness and donations.

Tinkerball · 23/08/2014 07:37

Why do some people who don't want to do it so critical of others who do? I don't but we had such a laugh the other night when DH did it, it's only a bit of fun - our kids were lining up to soak him! And yes we did donate.

TerribleMother · 23/08/2014 07:53

I agree with pp that it's this kind of thread that makes me really properly dislike mumsnet. The same with the naked selfies threads.

Huge amounts of money have been raised, along with awareness. That can't be a bad thing.

I think it's really disgusting to accuse participants of being only in it for attention/ego stroking. Everyone to a man who I know, who has done it, has donated (only a couple missed the point and donated to Macmillan or another charity, and at least they donated). I did it, dh did it, as did ds1. We donated to MND Australia. Ds2 didn't want to do the bucket challenge, but chose to donate. All good. It was four donations to that charity, which otherwise wouldn't have been received (as MND/ALS has never particularly come to my attention before).

I was particularly upset with the nasty sneering and snobbery surrounding the naked selfies drive, because as a current sufferer of stage 2b grade 3 breast cancer, over fifty of my Facebook friends donated, and selfied in my name and it was really touching and emotional. To see my friends' efforts looked down on as purely attention grabbing and wankish was hurtful.

If you don't want to do it, then don't, but leave off the people who are donating to a worthy cause and raising awareness, and daring to have a bit of a laugh while doing so.

pictish · 23/08/2014 08:17

I think it's really disgusting to accuse participants of being only in it for attention/ego stroking.

You can be disgusted all you like...but I know the people I know, while you don't...and I am telling you that most are in it for the look-at-me video, and not because they are charitable souls. I have never seen those people raise so much as a penny for charity before. And you'll just have to take my word for that I'm afraid.

TerribleMother · 23/08/2014 08:26

So no one you know who took part in the challenge donated to charity? Well, at least I can be thankful that I don't have any of your friends. Or they did, but because this is the only time that you know of them donating to charity then it's not good enough for you? Suppose some charitable donations don't count.

HappyAgainOneDay · 23/08/2014 08:31

There's something not quite right about it if people are urged to have freezing water thrown over them or to donate. So there are two options: get wet or give money to a charity I haven't chosen. I don't want to do either and would ignore anyone who told me to.

pictish · 23/08/2014 08:37

Oh get over yourself. Some people are attention seeking, and that's that. If they use charity to do so, then it's so much the better, but they are still all about themselves.

I cba arguing about this with you. I don't have to be impressed by some lame arsed, childish stunt. And I'm not.

TerribleMother · 23/08/2014 08:43

Maybe it's you who should get over yourself. No one's asking you to be impressed. Criticising the people who take part in fund raising events says a whole lot more about you than it does about them. Not arguing, just saying.

pictish · 23/08/2014 08:47

It's says nothing more than not being arsed to watch 20 identical videos a day of people throwing a bucket of water over themselves.

TerribleMother · 23/08/2014 08:52

Then don't.

But that's not actually the point you made. You didn't just say that you couldn't be arsed watching the videos. Nothing wrong with that. No, you actively criticised the participants, for raising awareness and money.

I'm allowed to think that's a bit shitty. You're allowed to think otherwise.

pictish · 23/08/2014 09:04

I don't. I watched three and lost interest.

buffyp · 23/08/2014 09:31

I think people need to calm down a little. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on it. I have no problem with the challenge however I don't like the nomination part. It's all very well saying don't do it if you don't want to but some people have been guilt tripped or verbally abused for not doing it. Also while I think it's great to raise awareness for MND I prefer to decide for myself which charity I will donate to. That will be a brain tumour charity as my son died from one and they get very little funding either. I make no apologies for this.

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 23/08/2014 09:52

I have never seen those people raise so much as a penny for charity before

Just as an aside, how do you know this? Not everybody shouts about their charitable habits to all and sundry. Obviously, I don't know to whom you refer, but when I see posts of this nature, I do wonder on what basis these opinions are formed.

TerribleMother · 23/08/2014 09:57

Quite.

pictish · 23/08/2014 10:00

I do wonder on what basis these opinions are formed
Knowing them personally.

Tinkerball · 23/08/2014 10:04

No-ones asking you to be impressed or watch videos, be interested etc etc. But you can't stereotype everyone doing the challenge based on your opinion of the people you know.