Missing the point

If the fashions I’ve been seeing around campus are any indication of the current moral climate, it would seem that concern for public welfare is at an all time high. Most of these fashions manifest themselves as T-shirts from campus charity events, and lately I’ve been paying attention to how many people are wearing clothes or items that represent some cause. Their prevalence is astounding, and they’ve surely led to a lot of money being donated toward their causes. But this kind of charity has a downside as well. \nOne of the only things I remember from high school philosophy is the assertion by a variety of scholars that no action is truly moral if it results in some kind of compensation. Even if the action itself is helpful, it isn’t a testament to your character when you extract notoriety, favors or money from your so-called “good deed.” And if that’s true, it seems there isn’t much morality in charity fashion. \nI think I first noticed this trend four years ago when I became aware of the “Livestrong” bracelets. I vaguely recall them being connected to some kind of charity, but what I remember most strongly about them is what a fashion statement they were, at the paltry cost of $1 each. People then started buying and collecting bracelets for other charities; soon their wrists began to resemble the walls of hunting lodges, where they proudly displayed the depth of their sainthood. But the causes became secondary. People wanted bracelets, not a cure for cancer. \nAnd woe to anyone asking for a dollar who couldn’t offer something to wear in return. People representing charities, other than the those wise enough to pay for marketing, were comparatively neglected. Ever since this trend began, I’ve been plagued by a general sense that charity is taking second place to external benefit in the market for donations. If we start handing out rewards for doing the right thing, people will stop thinking of it as the right thing. \nThey’ll think of it as simply the cost of fashion. Even if this results in more revenue, it comes at the cost of our sense of human obligation to others. Causes come and go, and they aren’t worth donating money to if by doing so we erode the basic concept of selfless giving. Doing the right thing isn’t always going to come with a lollipop. \nMaking public proclamations about what one has done to help the world is like giving someone the receipt to their birthday present. It’s a gaudy gesture that turns charity into self-recognition. And while it’s good that we have such open support of popular causes, doing the right thing because it’s popular can easily deteriorate into just doing what’s popular. \nI say give your money but refuse the T-shirt. Help without getting a sticker. Doing the right thing should be its own reward, and wearing a record of your contributions to the world is like holding a big sign that says you are missing the point.