//beconfused

We often regard charities as good things to do. I have no objection in the people following the light side (idea stolen from Star Wars). Many time, I feel encouraged that Singaporeans cared much for their neighbors when I read articles in The New Paper which - by the way - I only read when I am really really bored; I don’t like The New Paper.

Sometimes while embracing the light side, the non-profitable organization (Jedi Council) in Singapore may go overboard by recruiting too much volunteers (Jedis) from secondary schools - whatever the hell the reason is.

*Seduction to the light side*
A portion of the light side is seemingly more beautiful than the rest. I recalled my secondary school friends looking for the prettiest girl to give the donation to. They want to donate money, but they also want to donate to a cute girl.

I have no idea if any of them successfully gotten a girl through this methods but the key here is that the prettiest girl gets the most donations. And of course, while my friends are donating, they chat up with the girl. It’s usually teasings and stuff. Nothing dirty, nothing hurtful.

*Temptation to the light side*
I have discussed this before about an overly-commercialized (at least in my opinion) charity called National Kidney Foundation (Singapore). The light side can be rather tempting. They offer great prizes that you stand a chance of winning if you donate - a condominium, a car, cash prizes, the list is never-ending. My girlfriend got a dollar off at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves which is great - I love their Ice Blended(R).

Many people would unknowingly succumb to the light side and just pick up the phone and call a donation line and then hope to win some prizes. Charity should not be made to seem rewarding in material sense.

*Obligation to the light side*
This is the bloody reason I blogged this entry so it’s going to be slightly longer than the above 2 sections (disobeying what my English teacher taught me).

All the shops are closed and I was around Singapore Visitors Centre at Orchard in the morning. There are a couple of girls wearing yellow shirts holding a trademark tin cans for donations. I knew it’s a donation box but I don’t have any loose change to give. It’s a 10 dollar note and I wish to keep it. The same situation is at Novena, those people are guarding the exit of the train stations.

Then I left Orchard and went to Bukit Gombak area. Some other girls were there holding metal cans for God-knows-what charity organization. I looked up the skys, pretending not to notice their extra bright yellow T-shirts as they come towards me. I glanced and noticed their bored looks and I know they are persuaded into doing charities. These secondary students aren’t volunteers exactly, of course some would be, but I would say few are. Most are just there because there school forced them to.

Here’s how to game works. You just plant these volunteers everywhere. Everywhere! I returned home and when at Bukit Batok area, they are more of these people around. They’re at the train station, they’re in the park and in the void decks. It becomes somewhat an annoyance when the students, one after another, ask for donations. And at one time, you’ll most probably just surrender and think, “Okay, fine, I’ll donate to get a sticker flag with the charity logo so they won’t pester me again.” If you did that before, you have fallen into the light side.

But then again, looking at the bright side, at least this ain’t the dark side. Today, I successful strengthen myself to counter the seducations, temptations and obligations to the tin-can-people. And I still don’t know what charity is that.

Tags: charity, money, singapore, star wars