I’m not going to mince words, Go Fund Me has gone wild. It’s quickly become the entitlement highway to getting what you want. It’s a very clear segway into understanding what today’s society values, believes, and finds acceptable. And apparently, begging for money online has become an acceptable way to raise money for everything from weddings to botox to trips. What happened to kids like this young man … who give instead of take?
Personally, I find this all very gauche. This whole idea, this concept, of begging for money online is not how Go Fund Me began. I mean, there was a time, in the not so distant past, where people were expected to provide luxuries for themselves. Get jobs, maybe even multiple jobs, suffer a little, you know? I mean, we are eating rice and beans, pinching pennies and traveling some 14 hours to a cheaper airport in order to get our big family to Spain … violin not necessary. We know we are blessed.
But, this morning I literally woke up to 4 different requests for money. One, was shown to me by my daughter, Kady. Apparently a very special 18 year old was begging her 4,000+ friends on Facebook for money (in lieu of presents) for her birthday. She wants to fly to Hawaii and spend 3 weeks there. And, you know, she needs $5,000 from the public to make this happen.
Another solicitation for funds was for a very extravagant wedding that the couple deserved because they’d gone through “hell and back” to find each other and stay together. They are asking for $50k…for a wedding.
The next, $16k for a year abroad. Then, $6k for a trip. Then, $2500 for a car.
If I logged on now, I bet I’d see 4 more eye roll worthy demands for cash. I did … $10,000 for braces. OMGsh.
Table of Contents
Go Fund Me is Crowdsourcing At It’s Best
GoFundMe, was intended as an avenue for people to raise money for cases of dire need and/or difficulties. Dan and I, like thousands of others, have donated for causes that run the gamut of needs. Like, funds for lifesaving medical care. Or necessities such as rebuilding homes after fires, hurricanes or other natural disasters. Most recently we gave to iHeart Radio’s Lee County tornado victims fund. We have even donated for funeral costs. A little here, a little there … it makes the world go round.
Giving to those in need is a beautiful thing, a necessary thing. I truly believe generosity is the key to ending poverty and gaining world peace.
Crowdfunding can literally change lives, make dreams come true and raise money for worthy causes all over the world. But, some people seem to look at sites like Go Fund Me as their own personal piggy banks, where they can shamelessly solicit funds for all their wants and desires.
Go Fund Me Falls Prey to Social Media
With the Internet such an integral part of society, it’s very easy to remove yourself from the actual act of begging and “just put it out there” that you want this or that. Like, a $25k wedding gown.
I just want to ask: why? I mean, isn’t it humiliating. Is there no pride? Seriously, with so many people literally living on the streets, hungry, thirsty, and without a home, why is it that you feel deserving of charity? And, who in the heck is giving to these petty fundraisers? I’m sorry, but if little Johnny wants to go to SleepAway Camp or Jenny wants to go on a pilgrimage with her church group, or DeeDee wants to go to Hawaii … they can get jobs. Or, if they are too young, mom and dad can do what mom and dads have always done … provide.
Rice and Beans
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a little sacrifice, a little struggle. Hell, there is nothing wrong with a lot of sacrifice and struggle. You know how we are getting to Spain? Work and sacrifice.
Like, rice and beans for dinner. Working double time, getting a ton of blogs written and picking up extra shifts at crappy jobs. We are mobilizing to the cheapest airport, not Denver, our preferred, local one. And more … much more. But, it’s so worth it. What happened to raising our youth to be self-sufficient, to take pride in hard work and relishing in the products of that hard work?
This same equation, of work, sacrifice and struggle works for most of the Go Fund Me campaigns out there. Want that car, kid? Work for it and save your money. Want that trip? Don’t take the other trips, and pick up another job. Want that camera? Or that wedding? Or that degree? How about that house? Or that dress? It all takes struggle and sacrifice.
I can tell you with certainty, our kids would never ever in one million years deem themselves important enough to ask for a penny. Not from anyone. Not their grandparents, not their neighbors and not strangers. They understand struggle. They understand sacrifice.
Marriage, Family, Pride, and Priorities
People today can’t hear the word no. We are raising kids who believe they deserve the world on a silver platter and that everyone around them owes them something. Our government is the same. Tax increase after tax increase to fund everything from beautification of our city to fixing roads. It is a never ending cycle resulting from the inability to prioritize and forgo instant gratification.
The struggles and the sacrifices experienced in this life somehow make our memories more vivid, the joy more fully felt, the empathy, the love, the understanding more prevalent. We need to teach our children to not fear suffering … but rather to embrace it. It is here where we learn the most. It is here where we encounter our true selves, where we discover our ability to survive and conquer.
There were many times in our married life that we have qualified for a government service of one kind or another. We have never taken advantage of the system. If we had, we couldn’t have looked our kids in the eye. We are able-bodied. Dan takes his job to provide for his family very seriously. He takes pride in his ability to do so. We are incredibly proud of him. He is an amazing role model for our kids, and we are so thankful for his ability to suffer well.
If You Can Get Someone Else to Shoulder the Burden…
Basically, Go Fund Me and sites like it have become the dream tool of the entitlement mentality. They use it as a way to never have to pay their own way. Go Fund Me is viewed as a way to not have to work. It’s a tool to be used so as to not have to plan or put something you want on hold. The abuse of Go Fund Me means that it’s users will never have to experience the deprivation of not being able to do something.
This is what made generations of Americans strong and resilient. Hell, I’m going to Europe for the first time and I’m in my 40’s. I worked 40 hours a week to put myself through college. I didn’t have my own car until I got married.
Dan worked full-time, was in the Marines and put himself through college. He has had a job and bought his own clothing from age 13 up. Shoot, you should see the apartment complex we lived in our first year of marriage … drug busts at least monthly. Scary.
But, I mean, Hell …If you can get someone else to pay for it …
Everyone Has Needs
My HUGE hang up with asking friends and family and even strangers to commit to a Go Fund Me for any reason other than emergencies is that we all have needs. Literally everyone I know has a Go Fund Me every day of their lives.
Go Fund Me Christmas, Go Fund Me New Years Resolution, Go Fund Me Travel, Go Fund Me Divorce, Go Fund Me New Car, Go Fund Me Student Loans, Go Fund Me Pediatrics, Go Fund Me Orthodontist, Go Fund Me Mechanics, Go Fund Me Daycare, Go Fund Me Vet. No lie, I could go on and on and on and on, but I’m sure you get the gist. There is a daily need for Go Fund Me in everyone’s life. How bout, Go Fund Me IRS? Thankfully, the majority of us carry-on and do what must be done.
However, there are some that are just over the top insane and more humiliating than most.
Ridiculous Go Fund Me Accounts
There are so many Go Fund Me accounts that are positively ridiculous. I’m completely convinced the notion of entitlement, the belief we are due, has replaced the concept of self-sufficiency among our population. Check these out …
I Need Some White Privilege
Created July 9, 2014, this individual actually made $5890 of the requested $135k goal! She states the following:
“I am writing you today to ask that you assist me in acquiring some white privilege. Although I have layered oppressions that have affected my ability to access my slice of the American Pie, no issue has affected me more readily than my lack of white privilege.”
Don’t believe me? Proof is right here.
Beer & Smokes
Pay off for honesty, this was created August 10, 2017 and the dude has made a whopping $189 of his $10 goal!! He blew his goal outta the water. He writes:
“I just need some extra money for Beer and Smokes, I don’t need a tv or to see the world, I just need Beer and Smokes.”
And then literally 21 people donated to his quest for Beer & Smokes. Funny, though, the dude has a computer?
Birthday Party
No, sadly I’m not kidding. There was a Go Fund Me for a birthday getaway for a new mom, Sam. Sam’s significant other wrote this, of Sam … “she has spent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sleepless nights and long days taking care of our beautiful baby girl, Mikayla. Everything from snot-sucking at 4 in the morning to preparing healthy meals only to have them thrown on the ground, and yet she has managed to stay sane and not lose too much hair!”
Well I be darned, however did she do it?
Save My Relationship
For realz, if y’all haven’t seen this one, you’ve been living under a rock. I even saw it on Facebook and I’m never ON Facebook. This dude says:
“As you know, spring break is fastly approaching and my youngin (pictured above) and her friends are going to Miami. If you know anything about Miami, you know that she shouldn’t go without a chaperone. I need to get there to be with her and share this joyous time but my funds have been exhausted. We have a great thing going and I would hate to see it go down the drain for a little sand and sun.”
No lie, a boyfriend actually raised funds to follow his girlfriend, who is the youngin, down to Miami.
Sarah Wood Yoga Teacher Training
Send Me Around The World
Help My Parents Attend My Wedding
This one, I can’t even. Read here … seriously, the article is hysterical!
Help Prove the Earth is Flat
It turns out that the rapper B.o. B is part of that entertaining crew that thinks the Earth is flat.
In fact, he is so sure that the government is lying to us about the true shape of our planet that he is challenging people to prove him wrong. How, you may ask? By raising $1 million to send multiple satellites into space in order to “show B.o. B the curve”.
B.o. B is so certain that his expedition will prove him right that he kicked off the campaign by personally donating $1,000 to the cause.
Since starting the campaign in September 2017 he has raised $6,899 , which is still nowhere near his goal but it’s depressing to think anyone would actually donate to that.
Second Honeymoon After Fleas Ruined First
No one likes getting bitten by fleas, especially on your honeymoon. But does it really make it acceptable to ask strangers to fund a second, flea-free, getaway? Not really, no.
Sarah and Sam Davey hoped to raise $550 for a fresh getaway following their stay at the Trecarn Hotel in Torquay, Devon, UK, after claiming their trip was cut short due to a flea infestation.
The pair have already been refunded $330 of the $480 cost of the trip, but apparently that’s not enough.
Send My Kids to Disney
A mother who was lashed by critics for making a crowd-funding appeal to send her children on a trip to Disney World hit back at people who called her out.
Nikki Smith set up a crowd-funding page, asking for $5,000 (to be able to get her daughters to the theme park, but was slammed online for using the site to raise the money.
She ended up taking the page down but later relaunched it, saying “I never meant to upset anyone”.
People sure are desperate and shameless, eh? She raised close to her goal!
Help Me Strike It Big in a Casino
A guy who was desperate to move out of his dad’s house hoped the Internet could help him get rich playing slot machines.
“I live with my dad, and I want to get out,” he wrote on his GoFundMe page. “So my plan is to be able to win a jackpot at the casino, but I need an initial amount to go in with. I have practiced strategies on slots for over a year and I’m confident that with the right amount of money to buy in, and with a stroke of luck on my side, I could be successful and could turn my winnings into an ongoing practice. But I need your help. The casino I have in mind and the slot machines that I have picked out could grant me a great payout, but for the best odds, I wouldn’t dare go in with any less than $500, and won’t be walking out with less than $5000.”
Fortunately, no one donated.
Your Boy Is Broke and Wants V-Bucks
Although Fortnite is free, the in-game currency isn’t. There are lots of shameless people using GoFundMe to raise money for “V bucks,” the virtual currency in the game. However, this particular GoFundMe campaign easily takes the cake for being the most ridiculous. Grown ass men crying on the Internet? Puh-leese.
$100,000 To Become Rich
Unlike most other people in this list, Oscar Andersson wasn’t beating around the bush when he asked the internet for $100,000 to help make him rich. “This started out as a joke to myself ‘this can’t be possible’ but then I thought to myself, people buy stupid s–t every single day,” he wrote on his GoFundMe. “There’s apps that costs hundreds of dollars and they literally do nothing but give you a wallpaper stating that you spent money on something useless, people donate millions of dollars to Twitch streamers everyday and we all (me included) buy that daily snack, drink or whatever that we don’t really need. What if you just saved in on that one dollar and gave that to me.”
Looks like people aren’t willing to fork over their cash, though, Currently, he has $0. But hey, his campaign pretty much sums up everyone else’s in a nutshell.
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