As most of my friends, acquaintances, and family members know, I'm a fairly helpful type of person. I give as freely as I can when I can. Occasionally I've given more than I could afford, but I didn't ask for anything in return. Only when someone insisted, so much so that I'd hurt their feelings for not accepting, would I take anything.
I'm also very, very blunt which has given me a bit of trouble in the past. However, it's a trait I find lacking more and more in today's society. Everyone is afraid to speak their minds because it might "offend someone" for speaking the truth. There are occasions where I'll hold my tongue, such as the one in the first paragraph, but this is not one of those times.
So, you're reading this thinking, "What has any of that got to do with the title? So far I see a pompous and overly critical ass pumping up his own ego thinking he's Jeremy Clarkson on cocaine." Not that I'm arguing that, but just hear me out.
Here lately, and by lately I mean the past ten years or so, political correctness has run rampant. We call black people African-American even when they come from Europe and have never been to Africa, government intervention in bars and pubs telling the owners of the establishment they're not allowed to allow anyone to smoke indoors, even as far back as the Washington Redskins being threatened a lawsuit if they didn't change their name. I could go on and on about these things, but this last example is what really chaffs my rear.
With the recent catastrophe in Japan, foreign aid from all over the world is being sent to help out this devastated country. We did the same for Haiti. Now, I'm not against people helping out other people, but not at the forced expense of taxpayers. This isn't what I'm writing about, though.
Blizzard Entertainment occasionally releases special items for its game, World of Warcraft, that you can purchase with actual money. These items are in game pets and mounts thus far, so purely aesthetic pixels in an in-game world. Now, every year, Blizzard donates part of its profits to charity (e.g Make a Wish Foundation). I think this is wonderful, but what I don't think is right is when a few of their customers demand, not just ask, DEMAND, that Blizzard donate even more of their profits to the disaster of the month. Whatever gets the highest press should get the money, according to these twits.
That's not the whole story, though. You see, they (the twits) not only want Blizzard to give up money that pays their employees, they (again, the twits) want them to give up money that pays their employees AND give their customers something to buy.
In short, they will be a humanitarian and donate twenty-five dollars to the people of Japan (so far it has been Japan and Haiti when that happened), ONLY if they get a pixelated pet in return.
If you're thinking these people are terrible, think about the last time you helped a charity. Ask yourself, "Did I give freely, or did I gain something in return? Perhaps a ribbon or T-Shirt?" I know a few of my friends have done this, but again, I'm not questioning your intentions or your good will. I'm just trying to put my thoughts out there and maybe help someone to understand, there's no need to receive anything in return for donating.
Please, if you want to donate to disaster relief, use the American Red Cross directly. You can be certain any monies that are donated there will go towards the areas that need it. Sure, you may not receive a ribbon or T-Shirt for doing so, but does that really matter? While everyone else is wearing their pride on their sleeve, you can wear yours on your face and in your heart as a smile.
~Nate
Since I've written this article back in March, Hurricane Irene has swept up the Eastern Seaboard. As we speak, there is another thread on the World of Warcraft forums wanting more pixels for doing a good deed.
I'm also very, very blunt which has given me a bit of trouble in the past. However, it's a trait I find lacking more and more in today's society. Everyone is afraid to speak their minds because it might "offend someone" for speaking the truth. There are occasions where I'll hold my tongue, such as the one in the first paragraph, but this is not one of those times.
So, you're reading this thinking, "What has any of that got to do with the title? So far I see a pompous and overly critical ass pumping up his own ego thinking he's Jeremy Clarkson on cocaine." Not that I'm arguing that, but just hear me out.
Here lately, and by lately I mean the past ten years or so, political correctness has run rampant. We call black people African-American even when they come from Europe and have never been to Africa, government intervention in bars and pubs telling the owners of the establishment they're not allowed to allow anyone to smoke indoors, even as far back as the Washington Redskins being threatened a lawsuit if they didn't change their name. I could go on and on about these things, but this last example is what really chaffs my rear.
With the recent catastrophe in Japan, foreign aid from all over the world is being sent to help out this devastated country. We did the same for Haiti. Now, I'm not against people helping out other people, but not at the forced expense of taxpayers. This isn't what I'm writing about, though.
Blizzard Entertainment occasionally releases special items for its game, World of Warcraft, that you can purchase with actual money. These items are in game pets and mounts thus far, so purely aesthetic pixels in an in-game world. Now, every year, Blizzard donates part of its profits to charity (e.g Make a Wish Foundation). I think this is wonderful, but what I don't think is right is when a few of their customers demand, not just ask, DEMAND, that Blizzard donate even more of their profits to the disaster of the month. Whatever gets the highest press should get the money, according to these twits.
That's not the whole story, though. You see, they (the twits) not only want Blizzard to give up money that pays their employees, they (again, the twits) want them to give up money that pays their employees AND give their customers something to buy.
In short, they will be a humanitarian and donate twenty-five dollars to the people of Japan (so far it has been Japan and Haiti when that happened), ONLY if they get a pixelated pet in return.
If you're thinking these people are terrible, think about the last time you helped a charity. Ask yourself, "Did I give freely, or did I gain something in return? Perhaps a ribbon or T-Shirt?" I know a few of my friends have done this, but again, I'm not questioning your intentions or your good will. I'm just trying to put my thoughts out there and maybe help someone to understand, there's no need to receive anything in return for donating.
Please, if you want to donate to disaster relief, use the American Red Cross directly. You can be certain any monies that are donated there will go towards the areas that need it. Sure, you may not receive a ribbon or T-Shirt for doing so, but does that really matter? While everyone else is wearing their pride on their sleeve, you can wear yours on your face and in your heart as a smile.
~Nate
Since I've written this article back in March, Hurricane Irene has swept up the Eastern Seaboard. As we speak, there is another thread on the World of Warcraft forums wanting more pixels for doing a good deed.
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