wristbands for charity - good or bad idea? - debate

[babyshambles]

what do people think of this new "craze" for these wristbands?  i think it is a good idea and it was in the best intentions, but now its more of a novelty thing concerning fashion, and the charity element seems to have been chucked out of the window.  it physically fills me with anger to see morons selling knock off ones in the street and claiming that they are "support bands". yeah, support for what? what do you think?

[purplefish]

I think they were a good idea but now people buy or make them just to make money. I feel the same way as you regarding the knock off ones. I think the people who sell them should be fined and stopped from doing so. And as for the people who buy/wear them because they're fashionable should get a life.

[sunflower68]

Yes, great question. I agree totally.  I've heard people talking about getting hold of them cheap as they run to nearly �20 on ebay!  I think the meaning of these was lost a long time ago.  Once the coloured-ribbon thng died off this took its place.  However I guess as long as the money goes to the right causes it must be good, but it preys on the mugs amongst us.

[Golem]

I was involved in a very brief debate about this here,

www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Shopping/Question97717.html

with someone who was desperate to get a band. I admit to still being mystified by the logic of his argument.

[milly143]

It just seems to me that these are a way for people to gloat about giving to charity. If you really feel strongly about a charity then just give them the money and let that be the end of it, you don't need to boast about it. As well as that, it costs money to make these wrist bands. I can see why the charitys have come up with the idea as they need more support but i think a lot of the people who buy them are hypocrits.

[morg_monster]

I agree they started out a good idea but now it is getting ridiculous. I still think if the charity gets some money somewhere down the line then OK, ie the people selling the genuine ones on Ebay must have paid out for them at some point - but still making a huge profit is pretty low though I don't think morally wrong..

However I have seen them in shops, with a long list of the colours and what each one stands for, but most of them have an asterisk beside them and when you look at the small print... oh yes *No money from the sale of this band will go to charity. they are just rip offs. Now THAT my friends I think is morally wrong.

My brother can't get over why his friends, intelligent well rounded lads of 20 - 23 are all wearing them... last night when we met them in the pub he asked them if they'd all been swimming together...! hahaha

[Gevs1966]

I personally don't understand the logic of the argument against these bands.

The awareness of these charities has risen by a huge amount due to these bands. The financial contribution to these charities has risen a considerable amount due to the selling of these bands and the consequent increase in awareness.

 

There have always been people who piggy back charitable ideas/events in order to make money for themselves and sadly this will always be the case. Surely though the more peolpe that sell and wear these bands, real or fake the better off the charity is. Ok those people selling fake bands are imorally making money but they are also unwittingly helping the charity by increasing the overall awareness.

 

It is also wrong to criticise the use of these bands as a fashion accesory, it is peoples personal choice what they wear and again the main beneficiary will be the charity. If you don't want to wear one then fine but don't be so quick to criticise others for their choice to wear them.

 

What's next? Are you going to have a go at someone wearing a poppy in November because it looks smart with a suit??? I doubt it!!!

[babyshambles]

i have nothing against the fact that it benefits charities, it was initially a very good idea, but then all these idiots come out and exploit it for their own means - thats what i find disgraceful.  in my school i see girls with one of every colour on their arms, reciting to their mates about what each on stands for and paying well over the odds to places where their money isnt going to help people with cancer etc. its not their fault, these are young kids aged 12/13, and probably they do want to help a charity, but paying some skinhead down town for a band isn't the right way to do it and theyre being taking advantage of.  of course, theres people who just wear it as a fashion accessory, and really dont care about the charity.  i prefer to go to a hospice charity shop and buy second hand books or something, these bands are a very small part of the ways charities make money, and milly143s right that its a way for some people to gloat about giving to charity.    i agree with sunflower68 - the real meaning was lost a long time ago.

[kick3m0n]

I agree with Gevs   The profile of the causes involved has been raised hugely, as have their financial accounts. This can only be a good thing.  That some are cashing in on this phenomenon is sadly predictable but it doesn't detract from the original idea behind the wrist bands.

If I'm wearing a breast cancer band because I want to show support for a charity that has meant a great deal to me, or a Stand-up Speak Out band because I want to let people know that I will not tolerate racism..... you guys would look at me as some sad fashion victim.     Well, that's your prerogative, but you'd be wrong.  You say the real meaning behind the bands has been lost, well not to me. I don't mind why people wear the (genuine) bands....the money has gone to the charity while keeping the whole thing high profile.   These charities would not be so well known, particularly among young people, if they relied on charity shops and the more run of the mill fund raising methods.    If just 1% of kids wearing these bands thinks about the message behind them, be it breast cancer awareness, anti-racism or whatever, then that's an added plus surely.

Other than con men on the take (which happens every day in every walk of life and cannot be laid at the door of the wrist band originators), I fail to see any real negatives to these bands, other than apparently offended sensibilities.

If adults want to show off about giving to charity then let them...at least they've given.  Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves that folk know of their generosity....so what?  After all babyshambles, you've indicated to us all that you give to charity.....oooooh, boasting are we?  I'm being lighthearted here, not having a pop at you, but you see what I'm getting at.

[Gevs1966]

Exactly!

[sanfran]

I totally agree, and I think the charities had it in mind for the wristbands to become fashionable as it would raise their profile and get more people, particularly the young, involved and aware.