But am I the only person who is getting really sick and tired of all the commercials showing images of starving children and puppies? Yes, I know that sounds horrible. But you know me. I am not an unfeeling monster. If anything, the opposite is true. I have too much emotion… too much empathy.
I know there are people and animals out there whose whole lives have been a struggle. We help through charities whenever possible. I just don’t see how being constantly reminded of the fact that life can suck with heartbreaking photos really increases the amount of money people are giving to those particular charities. If I am wrong, then I apologize.
But maybe we could at least limit those commercials to the news channels where we are expecting to see the worst aspects of modern life. Between the starving animals and children, the adds for medications that supposedly cure embarrassing or horrific medical conditions while simultaneously giving you anal leakage and possibly death, and the constant stream of people trying to sell you erectile dysfunction products, it is not as much fun to watch a rerun of I Love Lucy while you eat your dinner.
Pouring My Art Out 
No, you’re not the only 1 – the one I hate the most is the one with the 4 yr. old girl walking in bare feet through sewage, with the crying brother, whose mother digs in the dump & who says in a monotone “I’m hungry.” It was OK the first couple of times, but now I am starting to hate this little girl because it feels like she is being exploited.
exactly
I’m not sure they further the cause, we become nullified to their effects. Reading about a real life case of abuse always hits home of course but something about the ads, maybe the production values, it almost distances it from reality. We did something like this at college when I was doing Media, about things like nature shows add more effects, music and the type of photography that it almost takes it out of the realm of realism turning into high drama.
I think people have their own causes they support regardless and are loyal to, I don’t think it is down to the ads. Then again I know people who work in charities as fundraisers and they have to compete with other causes all the time, it’s quite a cutthroat business.
I support Cats Protection, I sponsor space in the rehoming centre and they send me newsletters telling me who is there at the moment, it’s bullshit though as they send glossy glamour shots of the most perfect cats, which I know is not always the case. There is probably some mangy flea ridden thing in there but they think we won’t support them if we know the truth, I would still pay of course, but they candy floss it for the people who love a cuddly kittie. Probably the same people who only buy perfect fruit and vegetables instead of ones a bit misshapen.
Right… people get so used to it they tune it out, like a car alarm that goes off all the time.
Good point, who ever checks that, you just sit there moaning about the noise whilst someone steals your car
Right. But mostly I just don’t want to look at tortured animals and starving children at dinner time… on the comedy network…
But in other news, scientists made a paralysed man walk again. It’s not often we get good news, I thought this was a doozy, what a huge step forwards – literally
We now need to wait and see what the military applications of this technology are.
To heal wounded service people yes, or are you thinking something sinister. Maybe making superhumans like in Captain America. Maybe I can get my superpowers after all
well you know if somebody can abuse it they will
The world needs more puppies.
Right. Wait… actually that is patently not true. The world needs more spayed and neutered dogs and less puppies.
Wrong. Puppies are full of protein.
That is an interesting stand to take on this subject… so we should feed starving dogs to starving kids… problem solved… and thanks for taking the pressure off me…
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that if that advertising money was put directly into the causes they’re advertising, it would do much more good. Kids and animals don’t care about ads, they want food and shelter.
The next obvious step is for celebrities to show up on our doorsteps with a starving child in one hand and a starving puppy in the other.
I agree. I hate these adverts and one thing I have noticed is it costs about the same amount of money to save a child as it does to save a donkey. That’s what I take particular issue with.
So if we give twice as much, then all the hungry kids could have a donkey to ride… or eat…
Now there’s a plan. The Donkey ad’s really p**s me off. “Look at this Donkey alone in a field”- It’s f-ing supposed to be alone in a field.
No way man… in the wild they live in luxury condominiums…