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Yet another poitnless Facebook "advocacy" event.


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"Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB until Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse, copy & paste to your status and invite your friends to do the same♥ :)"

 

How exactly does changing your profile picture "fight" child abuse?:001_huh:

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I guess the hope is that reminding people that they were once kids will help prevent them from being violent toward children?

 

I view them as fun games that raise awareness. If posting the color of your bra reminds a woman to do a self-check, then I don't think it was useless. Especially since my baby sister discovered the lump in her breast at 29 years old.

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There seem to be dueling memes going on though... For awhile one of them was just "post a picture of your favorite childhood cartoon character" then it somehow got tied up with child abuse.

 

I wondered if it was meant to be some sort of reference to online pictures of children somehow leading to abuse. A very muddled message, if so. And one I don't agree with. But I may be reading too much into it.

 

I agree that sometimes these silly things can raise awareness, but I'm not much of a memes girl and this one makes little sense to me.

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I posted a link to a child abuse information site & hotline instead.

 

I got slammed for it in private. My cousin told me that her friend had been abused and thinks the article is crap.

 

I said nothing, but I was pretty ticked off considering I had an abusive childhood (which cousin doesn't know about because I'll burst into eternal flames if I ever tell anyone so says the parents).

 

So sticking to a stupid cartoon might be less controversial. :glare:

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I posted a link to a child abuse information site & hotline instead.

 

I got slammed for it in private. My cousin told me that her friend had been abused and thinks the article is crap.

 

I said nothing, but I was pretty ticked off considering I had an abusive childhood (which cousin doesn't know about because I'll burst into eternal flames if I ever tell anyone so says the parents).

 

So sticking to a stupid cartoon might be less controversial. :glare:

 

:grouphug:

 

Strawberry Shortcake here ;)

 

Mine is Smurfette.

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"Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB until Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse, copy & paste to your status and invite your friends to do the same♥ :)"

 

How exactly does changing your profile picture "fight" child abuse?:001_huh:

 

 

Funny you should mention this, my SIL just posted this on her wall and I commented, "how does this support the fight against child abuse?"

 

I hope that didn't sound snarky, I just, for the life of me, could not figure out how a status update sends support for something??? :confused:

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Funny you should mention this, my SIL just posted this on her wall and I commented, "how does this support the fight against child abuse?"

 

I hope that didn't sound snarky, I just, for the life of me, could not figure out how a status update sends support for something??? :confused:

 

How does wearing a pink bracelet fight breast cancer? How does a red ribbon fight AIDS? Those types of things are about awareness, how is a facebook meme any different?

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How does wearing a pink bracelet fight breast cancer? How does a red ribbon fight AIDS? Those types of things are about awareness, how is a facebook meme any different?

 

:iagree: (says Chip and Dale vs. Donald Duck)

 

eta: A very good friend of mine just got diagnosed w/ breast cancer, and she posted the "purse thing" on her status daily. Obviously she didn't think it was stupid or pointless-- so if it helps even one person become aware, or feel better about their situation, then why get upset about it?

Edited by Unicorn
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How does wearing a pink bracelet fight breast cancer? How does a red ribbon fight AIDS? Those types of things are about awareness, how is a facebook meme any different?

Those ones are out there, people know what those ribbons mean. And the purchase of them raises money, tangible assets to help with the cause.

 

Unlike the stupid breast cancer "where do you put your handbag" one which raised awareness only with those who were in on it, and confusion for everyone else. And raised not a skerrick of money. I really don't beleive even one person did a self check because of that particular stupidity.

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Those ones are out there, people know what those ribbons mean. And the purchase of them raises money, tangible assets to help with the cause.

 

Not if you just buy red ribbon. With the cartoon thing, there is a slogan attached. If you don't like facebook memes, don't do them. I just don't see a difference.

 

Unlike the stupid breast cancer "where do you put your handbag" one which raised awareness only with those who were in on it, and confusion for everyone else. And raised not a skerrick of money. I really don't beleive even one person did a self check because of that particular stupidity.

 

In my area that particular facebook meme made the local news. The story included how to do a self-check and where to get a free thing for your shower with self-check directions.

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Unlike the stupid breast cancer "where do you put your handbag" one which raised awareness only with those who were in on it, and confusion for everyone else. And raised not a skerrick of money. I really don't beleive even one person did a self check because of that particular stupidity

 

Well, the whole 'What color is your bra?' thing made the news somewhere (I remember seeing the story on the news but we don't have any channels so I had to have been at someone's house, but I don't recall where). I reposted that one and did a self check that evening.

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In my area that particular facebook meme made the local news. The story included how to do a self-check and where to get a free thing for your shower with self-check directions.

 

Yup. The whole point of it is to raise awareness. The purse thing worked. It did raise awareness.

 

Ironic that this thread is doing just that as well. :lol:

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Well, the whole 'What color is your bra?' thing made the news somewhere (I remember seeing the story on the news but we don't have any channels so I had to have been at someone's house, but I don't recall where). I reposted that one and did a self check that evening.

 

Everywhere!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/08/AR2010010803693.html

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Xuzi, I asked the SAME question and here are the responses I received:

 

 

"If statuses remind people the purpose then every time people look at the profile pics they will be reminded."

 

 

"To raise awareness that this is an issue, whether its ur own or someone else's. Who knows this post could hit someone directly and they may (by the grace of God) realize their issue?? Just a thought ;)"

 

I'm still not convinced that things like this make a real difference. Don't we get enough emails telling us "do that" or "do this" without getting all the 'junk' via FB, too?

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"Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB until Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse, copy & paste to your status and invite your friends to do the same♥ :)"

 

How exactly does changing your profile picture "fight" child abuse?:001_huh:

 

Well, I'm posting things about what we as humans can do to help prevent and stop child abuse. My friends and I are talking about it, looking at what we can do at a local level.

 

I guess it all has to do with getting off your butt and doing something rather than complaining about it.

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Well, I'm posting things about what we as humans can do to help prevent and stop child abuse. My friends and I are talking about it, looking at what we can do at a local level.

 

I guess it all has to do with getting off your butt and doing something rather than complaining about it.

 

 

A large group of my friends (back in NC) recently ran a walk to stop child trafficking, sending the funds raised to an advocacy organization. I got this particular meme from one of those organizers.

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I just don't buy the "raising awareness" claim. Even if I'm talking about this meme now and how silly I think it is, how am I somehow more "aware" of child abuse, as if I weren't already before I saw the first status update this morning? Just because someone stole an existing meme (the original wording was something about childhood nostalgia) and added the bogus claim that playing along helps fight child abuse doesn't make it so. I'm opposed to almost all copy and paste statuses that try to shame FB users into participating, though.

 

(The irony of my regular WTM avatar does not escape me. :D)

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I just don't buy the "raising awareness" claim. Even if I'm talking about this meme now and how silly I think it is, how am I somehow more "aware" of child abuse, as if I weren't already before I saw the first status update this morning? Just because someone stole an existing meme (the original wording was something about childhood nostalgia) and added the bogus claim that playing along helps fight child abuse doesn't make it so. I'm opposed to almost all copy and paste statuses that try to shame FB users into participating, though.

 

(The irony of my regular WTM avatar does not escape me. :D)

 

:iagree: And that IS the point. It's one thing to say "we are raising awareness". (bracelets, etc.) But it specifically stated, "help support the fight against child abuse". HOW?! I understand that some people say, "oh, who cares? Just don't make it your status update if you don't like it/ignore it", but I think that it actually HURTS the cause b/c ppl end up thinking that they are actually DOING somethin when they are not. If you care then DO SOMETHING. Donate money, volunteer, but don't post a status update and think you are 'doing charity'. :glare:

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:iagree: And that IS the point. It's one thing to say "we are raising awareness". (bracelets, etc.) But it specifically stated, "help support the fight against child abuse". HOW?! I understand that some people say, "oh, who cares? Just don't make it your status update if you don't like it/ignore it", but I think that it actually HURTS the cause b/c ppl end up thinking that they are actually DOING somethin when they are not. If you care then DO SOMETHING. Donate money, volunteer, but don't post a status update and think you are 'doing charity'. :glare:

 

A large group of my friends (back in NC) recently ran a walk to stop child trafficking, sending the funds raised to an advocacy organization. I got this particular meme from one of those organizers.

 

:001_smile:

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I guess the hope is that reminding people that they were once kids will help prevent them from being violent toward children?

 

I view them as fun games that raise awareness. If posting the color of your bra reminds a woman to do a self-check, then I don't think it was useless. Especially since my baby sister discovered the lump in her breast at 29 years old.

 

:iagree:

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How does wearing a pink bracelet fight breast cancer? How does a red ribbon fight AIDS? Those types of things are about awareness, how is a facebook meme any different?

 

:iagree: I changed my profile picture. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I did it because I think it's important to raise awareness of child abuse, and to stand in solidarity against it.

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A large group of my friends (back in NC) recently ran a walk to stop child trafficking, sending the funds raised to an advocacy organization. I got this particular meme from one of those organizers.

That though is the exception rather than the rule. Most people are getting warm fuzzies by changing their picture and not actually getting off their butt to do anything about it.

 

I just don't buy the "raising awareness" claim. Even if I'm talking about this meme now and how silly I think it is, how am I somehow more "aware" of child abuse, as if I weren't already before I saw the first status update this morning? Just because someone stole an existing meme (the original wording was something about childhood nostalgia) and added the bogus claim that playing along helps fight child abuse doesn't make it so. I'm opposed to almost all copy and paste statuses that try to shame FB users into participating, though.

 

(The irony of my regular WTM avatar does not escape me. :D)

:iagree:

 

And the bolded bit also irks me. It insinuates I don't care about cancer/depression/abuse/diabetes/whatever, love my boys/girl/cousins/mother/father/dog/cat etc if I don't post that crap. Grrrrr.

Edited by keptwoman
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I don't participate in those. I don't believe they raise awareness. Seriously. I think there are people sitting in front of their computers who have way too much free time on their hands, and they start awareness-raising stuff like this; before FB, they sent out pointless e-mails to dozens of their closest friends with warnings to pass it on or risk some terrible catastrophe.

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"Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal? To not see a human face on FB until Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse, copy & paste to your status and invite your friends to do the same♥ :)"

 

How exactly does changing your profile picture "fight" child abuse?:001_huh:

 

 

Well...it probably doesn't, but if my FB wall (not profile, as I did not post a cartoon) is represenatitive of anything, people are arguing about this very thing, and posting the same question you are. You are not alone.

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I wish people would just donate a few bucks to a charity instead. If everyone who changed their profile pic also donated say, $5 bucks, that would really add up.

 

I don't like "awareness" bracelets and such, either. I mean really, who's "unaware" of breast cancer or AIDS? Donating the $2 you spent on the bracelet would do more to help, it seems. I can see it more for things people are really unaware of, like prenatal and infant stroke (which happened to dd2 and most people have no clue is even possible).

 

(And yes, we donate regularly to various charities; not large amounts, but as much as we're able).

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I've never participated in any of those Facebook things until this one. I just liked the idea of changing my picture to Punky Brewster because I looked like her and thought it would be fun to dress like her when I was a kid. Plus, I figure it won't hurt anything to join in and while it might be pointless, there is the chance that it may get someone thinking about helping out in a situation they know about.

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I wish people would just donate a few bucks to a charity instead. If everyone who changed their profile pic also donated say, $5 bucks, that would really add up.

 

I don't like "awareness" bracelets and such, either. I mean really, who's "unaware" of breast cancer or AIDS? Donating the $2 you spent on the bracelet would do more to help, it seems. I can see it more for things people are really unaware of, like prenatal and infant stroke (which happened to dd2 and most people have no clue is even possible).

 

(And yes, we donate regularly to various charities; not large amounts, but as much as we're able).

 

Some of those awareness bracelets are to raise money for the cause because some percentage is donated from the sales. They range from 100% down to minuscule percentages that are just money-makers for the sellers.

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I had a friend post that they donated money to a child abuse prevention program instead of changing their profile picture. I liked that:)

 

I would guess that there are more instances like you describe than people who publicly announce them on FB.

Maybe someone decided to divert their holiday donation to a children's charity instead of something else.

Maybe a friend offered to care for the young children of an overwhelmed mother yesterday afternoon.

Maybe I chose to double my standard donation to the Children's Benevolent Fund at church this morning.

Because we don't share these choices with everyone else certainly doesn't mean we haven't had neglected and abused children on our mind this weekend and made some effort to help.

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I guess the hope is that reminding people that they were once kids will help prevent them from being violent toward children?

 

I view them as fun games that raise awareness. If posting the color of your bra reminds a woman to do a self-check, then I don't think it was useless. Especially since my baby sister discovered the lump in her breast at 29 years old.

I agree.

I loved the bra one -- sort of like being in on a little secret. ;)

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