Gregory's ServerI have $1,000 in my wallet. My friend has $5. I pressure him into giving me a dollar so I can donate it to charity.
This is exactly how those appeals to donate the change at cash registers work.
 32 comments
@drmaddkap Yep, and then you'd take credit for your friend's donation. (EDIT: originally said "and maybe even a tax write off." but it was pointed out that this is misinformation. I should have looked into that claim before posting it.)  @NealBabcock @drmaddkap It's not a tax write off nor do companies make any profit from it or save taxes or make money in any other way. Technically it's a pass-through donation, so YOU YOURSELF can do a tax write-off for it. The money is never "owned" by the company collecting it on your behalf.  @thomasfuchs @NealBabcock @drmaddkap Our food coop does this with the receiving organizaiton (changes every month) on a sign on the wall. It's awesome. I have more than five dollars, and the coop doesn't have 20 times as much as I have. @thomasfuchs @NealBabcock @drmaddkap But here’s the thing - for the mega corps that do this, they have hundreds of millions of dollars. But they want to “help” those of us who are broke to donate to charity. When they could do 1000x more good than all of us combined. It’s a way of generating good PR, while encouraging the poor to help the other poor. @drmaddkap @NealBabcock I wasn't judging if it's good or bad what they're doing or the morals of it, just pointing out common misinformation that's very pervasive. Fwiw when my situation allows, I'm just donating directly to charities of my choice.  @drmaddkap @thomasfuchs @NealBabcock @drmaddkap Not all their customers are “poor”. Hope this helps. Kinda weird that denying the company a meaningless press release is the most important thing for you. Presumably you only donate if *you* get the kudos, which makes me wonder about your intention in donating. @NealBabcock @drmaddkap @thomasfuchs most corporations find that donations to charity raise their profile and goodwill in the community … good for the bottom line. Overhead to collect and channel donations costs them for logistics … thats a donation. This is to the good of the those receiving the funds. And is enlightened self interest for the company. Anyone who is so broke they need to pick this process apart… is not in a position to donate…  @drmaddkap Non-profits should not exist. “Charity” should not exist. I’ve done board work for >10 years for the best non-profit I could have wanted, and I will bang this goddamned drum forever. ‘Non-profit’ should be common, ‘charity’ should not be needed. I teach music, I don’t work for profit. I work for joy and the inherent reward of making a difference. I charge fees to provide myself food and housing and essentials. @DavidM_yeg @drmaddkap Apologies, I should have said 501 (c3)s should not exist — that’s the American legal script that defines “non-profits” here, like the one I serve. I believe we are unnecessary, I regard the power structures that make us necessary are evils to extinguish, including our own. Blessings to you for you work. Music is probably the main reason I’m alive, just as an encyclopedic fan. You never know who and how you’re going to save someone. I think I understood, but was extending the idea… we need a better way to refer between providing for yourself - earning a living - versus profit/profiteering. I have often been involved with ‘non-profit societies’ (as they are in Canada) and, given the society they are embedded in, most are beautiful people doing their best to make a difference despite the distortions of profit capitalism. @DavidM_yeg @drmaddkap we’re on the same page, friend. wish i was in canada, even alberta at this point. this place is all for-profit. @drmaddkap Yes! Also, if you round up at a retailer, you're not donating to the charity but rather giving money to the retailer to donate. Then they say "Look at how much money we donate!" but it was YOUR money they donated! @drmaddkap I always say no I will donate myself so I get the tax break. I do not feel the need to help a billionaire cheat on his tax.  @drmaddkap Anytime there’s a middle person in between your donation and the charity there is more of a risk that all of your donation won’t get to the organization or that it won’t get to the organization in a timely manner.  @drmaddkap It is even worse than that. They get a tax break from your donation. @drmaddkap @dangillmor You didn’t tell us how you got the $1000. @drmaddkap Its how rich people appear generous without having to donate a penny from their millions. Ask the working poor to help the poor. When this scam started I was a#cashier and had to ask every customer to #donate, which I did not. It was #unethical.  @drmaddkap Food Not Bombs is cancer at the bank park or zocalo #Commons #pacifism Bombs :Lives Matter  @drmaddkap oh, and because it's YOU giving the dollar to a charity, it's also you who gets a tax reduction for your 'generosity'  Another way of doing it, you've got 1000, they have 10 and the people either side of them have 1. You pressure them into giving you 5 so you can donate it to charity whilst also telling them that the others want to steal the rest.  @drmaddkap Except you pay someone 5 cents per hour to pressure your friend, you don't actually do it yourself. @drmaddkap police man "Why you got so much cash? Give it to me so I can charge it with a drug crime and keep it." @drmaddkap I was at the Wickes store a while ago and they asked if I’d like to donate £1 to Ukraine. I said sure, and take another £ for your Palestine appeal. So, just £1 then, of course. |
@drmaddkap capitalism moment