2001-12-28 15:04:31+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments
Diane has some gift-giving disillusionment over her experience with The Family Giving Tree. Not sure what I can add to that, other than that it's a reminder that institutionalized giving is by its nature depersonalizing, and I wonder what would happen if our taxation system didn't bias away from personal involvement towards charity by proxy.
[ related topics: Sociology ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:34:00+00 by: Diane Reese
Too true, Dan, but it's also that Ol' Debbil Time. By participating in this form of "institutionalized giving", I thought I might be able to provide some joy to people whom I otherwise wouldn't have been able to offer much of anything to... and it's hard to explain the time and connecting energies I put into imagining each of those 3 kids and what they might like to find in their personalized backpacks, and how I fussed over how to make each of their name-keychains in a way that would be properly kid-cool and not embarrass them in front of their friends. (Carlos's had footballs, since he's 11, but the girls' had flower beads and bells interspersed.) I tried to put some personal involvement into it, within the constraints of my limited free time. And then I felt tossed aside and fooled and cheated. I know the organization means well, but it's left me cold. I hope some kids were happy on Christmas anyway. But I won't be doing it again next year.
#Comment made: 2002-02-21 05:34:02+00 by: Dan Lyke
For the record and strong interlinking, Diane elaborates in her December 28 entry.
I think the nature of time (and money) saving devices is that they must become less personal. I want to make clear that I'm not trying to denigrate your involvement with the Giving Tree, it's just one of my puzzlements that I![[Wiki]](/adbanners/lookingglass.png){kind=small}
haven't found a way to make some of my gifting less intensive, and I wonder if some of my charitable causes, especially more political ones like the ACLU, are better served by me sending money, or me spending the equivalent time doing my own political action.
I actually think I get more bang for the time with the monetary donations, but of necessity it's a less personal thing, I don't get to pick and choose my causes as tightly.