children in need

[Lamp]

I often wonder how much - if any - the presenters and celebs actually donate to Children in Need. Here we are in a recession, the celebs are screaming for everyone to dig deep and give generously, but do they donate ? I think Children in Need is a wonderful cause, and yes, even in tough times, people will find what they can afford to donate. But these celebs earn fortunes. I bet a load of them don't give anything.

 

[Huntingtons]

because youre generally pissed celebs? or what do you base this on?

in any case, they get focus on it which is their main job. no?

 

[kirennia]

The truth of the matter is, a hell of a lot of people watch it and these celebs get publicity as a result, thus boosting their profile and bank accounts from then on.

I detest 'celebrities' who go on these things asking people to give money when they go outside to their unneeded aston martins and return to their multi-million dollar houses after making a big thing about giving £10,000. It's just a hidden agenda; even if they don't mean it as one, some of them could give 95of their wages and still live in 10x better luxury then joe public who they're asking to give as much as they can...

It's sad, it really is but there are other charities who will do just as much good while not feeding celebrity profiles, spending a hell of a lot of cash on promotions instead of on those who need it.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Well, like i've always said; it's all a percentage thing.

If a guy with 200 dollars donates a 100 dollars, it's FAR more impressive if bill gates donates a 100 million dollars.

Bill Gates alone could probably cure cancer, but will he? Hell no. He's human, humans are selfish. Every single one.

I'm first to admit i am, well, would be if i had anything to be selfish about.

 

[Ch3tan]

Erm Toht, you do realise that Gates pretty much only does charity work these days, and gave a huge chunk of his money away?

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

 

[old.Tohtori]

Erm Toht, you do realise that Gates pretty much only does charity work these days, and gave a huge chunk of his money away?

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

And how much of a chunk was it? And how much was he left with?

That is exactly the point people miss.

 

[Ch3tan]

There is nothing that says he has to though Toht, the fact he is dedicating time and more money than most people ever could is enough. By what measure do we say that someone is giving just to look good, and giving to help? Whatever people choose to give to charity should be enough, because no one is forcing them to.

 

[old.Tohtori]

There is nothing that says he has to though Toht, the fact he is dedicating time and more money than most people ever could is enough. By what measure do we say that someone is giving just to look good, and giving to help? Whatever people choose to give to charity should be enough, because no one is forcing them to.

Yes ofcourse and i'm not saying that bill isn't doing good, just that it's more impressive when someone gives a couple of hundred that equals to 60/70% of their money, then it is when someone gives a 100 million that equates to 2%.

Most of the celebrities that do give money, could od a hell-of-a-lot more without even denting their precious lifestyle.

Also, i'm not saying selfish is bad, i'm saying that it's how people are.

 

[Ch3tan]

Actually toht he has given away $30billion, Warren Buffet eclipsed that with $45billion, but for both of them it equated to roughly two thirds of their wealth.

When did you last give away two thirds of your wealth to help others?

 

[Lamp]

Actually toht he has given away $30billion, Warren Buffet eclipsed that with $45billion, but for both of them it equated to roughly two thirds of their wealth.

When did you last give away two thirds of your wealth to help others?

I don't think thats a fair comparisson

If someone like Bill Gates gives away 2/3rd of his money he still has X billions left in the bank, which is making Y hundreds of millions of dollars in interest alone. There isn't a man alive on the planet who has 20 billion dollars who can be considered hard up.

Now back to the real world. Take a man with $30,000 in his account. The loss of $20,000 is a massive blow.

 

[kirennia]

Hasn't Bill Gates stated he's giving away basically all of his money when he dies bar $10 million to his family members?

He's one of VERY few celebrities who I actually hold up high despite the fact he worked as Microsoft CEO, heh.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Actually toht he has given away $30billion, Warren Buffet eclipsed that with $45billion, but for both of them it equated to roughly two thirds of their wealth.

When did you last give away two thirds of your wealth to help others?

Yes, and that's impressive, as i said.

Didn't know that you know.

Point stands.

 

[ilaya]

i just think its shocking it needs a once a year appeal to raise enough money that would buy 1 premiership foorballer these days, in order to help kids.

somethings wrong.

 

[Sparx]

i blame the parents

not the right time for jokes? i'll get my coat

 

[Marc]

Lots of celebrities give money to charity. A hell of a lot.

They just dont feel the need to brag about it.

 

[Lethul]

Now back to the real world. Take a man with $30,000 in his account. The loss of $20,000 is a massive blow.

And how many does that?

 

[Lethul]

The world cheapest "extremely rich person" is Ingvar Kamprad btw Given next to nothing away. (i think atleast)

 

[Zede]

Bill Gates should give £20.00 to everyone who bought windows over the last 20 years. Far as im concerned we were all beta testers, and require payment for our services.

Altruism is not altruism when you still have xxx millions sitting in the bank - your lifestyle does not change. I very much doubt if it came to the crunch...and say he had to sell a private jet to pay for a water treatment plant in Angola. Would he dig deep knowing it would affect his lifestyle ? No.

It must be fun playing God though.

 

[Lamp]

My first recollection of Microsoft was back in the 80s when they released some ZX Spectrum games. If only I'd bought £500 worth of Microsoft shares then...

 

[Huntingtons]

Well, like i've always said; it's all a percentage thing.

If a guy with 200 dollars donates a 100 dollars, it's FAR more impressive if bill gates donates a 100 million dollars.

Bill Gates alone could probably cure cancer, but will he? Hell no. He's human, humans are selfish. Every single one.

I'm first to admit i am, well, would be if i had anything to be selfish about.

you seem oblivious to the fact that even if he only donates 0.0001% of his wealth those money still helps 100.000 people. Theres nothing selfish about not giving 2/3 of your wealth. To me, that is what most of you are missing.

 

[kiliarien]

What really seems to stem from some of this discussion is that people are selfish bastards if they only give *some* of their money away. They are also selfish bastards if they give none of it away. Great argument - can't win either way.

According to some here, if you haven't given away all your cash then you're not a true altruist. If you brag about it then you're not a true altruist either. I hate to defend Bill Gates, but he's given away a shit load more money than I will ever earn, so I am not going to bitch about him.

I would suggest some either donate or not, but don't judge others who choose themselves whether to do so or not.

ilaya brought up an interesting point, and it's worth looking at it to put things into perspective.

 

[old.Tohtori]

you seem oblivious to the fact that even if he only donates 0.0001% of his wealth those money still helps 100.000 people. Theres nothing selfish about not giving 2/3 of your wealth. To me, that is what most of you are missing.

No, you once more misunderstand.

There's nothing wrong in being selfish, and it's MORE IMPRESSIVE, when you give 2/3rds out.

Noone at any point said "giving for charity is selfish".

Stop thinking so f*cking black&white.

 

[Cerb]

Hasn't Bill Gates stated he's giving away basically all of his money when he dies bar $10 million to his family members?

He's one of VERY few celebrities who I actually hold up high despite the fact he worked as Microsoft CEO, heh.

Aye iirc hes giving 99.8% of his money to charity when he dies and something like 0.1% to each of his kids..

 

[Huntingtons]

No, you once more misunderstand.

There's nothing wrong in being selfish, and it's MORE IMPRESSIVE, when you give 2/3rds out.

Noone at any point said "giving for charity is selfish".

Stop thinking so f*cking black&white.

sorry? try and read it again.

 

[Sparx]

There is no obligation at all for anyone to give their money away. The fact that someone gives anything to help someone else regardless of wealth is great in my books.

From doing this charity thing i've seen so many people donating even just a pound and it all helps, so stop bitching that Mr Billions hasnt given enough money, when honestly he didnt have to give anything at al

 

[old.Tohtori]

Noones saying that...

Let's make it simple for you..

Not giving to charity is selfish, but people are, it's normal.
Someone giving 2/3rds of his money, is more impressive then mr billions giving a million.

This does not mean it's nice that mr billions gives money, just the point is, i'm mroe impressed by the guy giving 2/3 of his money.

 

[Ch3tan]

What we are all saying, and you are constantly ignoring though Toht, it that it does not matter who gives what, or their wealth. Giving to charity is a choice, not an obligation and we should be happy that people give anything at all. Not impressed by the value of the donation.

 

[Ezteq]

bill gates is actually paying for the polio vacination to be distributed in India via injection...thats pretty good tbh, i read about it in the new scientist magazine havent seen anything on TV about it, if he was a spice girl i'm sure it would have been all over sky news but what the hay.

and children in need can piss off i refuse to give anything to a charity that wastes so much money (how much does it cost to produce that night of tv and all the merchandise?) and does not tell you exactly where the donated money goes to. the charities i belong to all send out annual reports saying exactly how they spend the money they make and they don't go around squandering what they raise on doing a spoof episode of eastenders Oo

 

[kirennia]

bill gates is actually paying for the polio vacination to be distributed in India via injection...thats pretty good tbh, i read about it in the new scientist magazine havent seen anything on TV about it, if he was a spice girl i'm sure it would have been all over sky news but what the hay.

and children in need can piss off i refuse to give anything to a charity that wastes so much money (how much does it cost to produce that night of tv and all the merchandise?) and does not tell you exactly where the donated money goes to. the charities i belong to all send out annual reports saying exactly how they spend the money they make and they don't go around squandering what they raise on doing a spoof episode of eastenders Oo

Exactly the point I was sort of trying to raise It's also a shame when celebrities end up gaining personal wealth by going on these sorts of programs via raising their profile and/or giving minimal amounts of money to the cause. That's the big thing about children in need which I don't want to be a part of.

Giving to other charities can all but guarantee your money will be put to better use as sad as that sounds.

 

[old.Tohtori]

What we are all saying, and you are constantly ignoring though Toht, it that it does not matter who gives what, or their wealth. Giving to charity is a choice, not an obligation and we should be happy that people give anything at all. Not impressed by the value of the donation.

I'm not ignoring it, but you're using it as some form of "you're not thinking/ you're saying it's not like this" point.

Don't you even notice how f*cking "annoying" you're being? You take my point, then add some arbitrary "no but bill!" argument, which has nothing to do with my original point, and then it's suddenly like i'm hating children.

Yes, charity, good, but it's not impressing when a billionaire gives a million. It's just "bleh...charity" like giving a fiver to your local school.

The value of the donation MEANS NOTHING AT ALL, that's what the f*ck i was saying. Get it though your thick argumentative skull.