I've been putting aside a small bit of cash on a daily/weekly basis and at the end of each month I take whatever cash there is and donate it to some charity. The purpose of this stock of money is solely to give to charity and support causes I believe in.
My dilemma is...would it be unethical for me to use that money to pledge towards an NPR pledge drive?
The money goes towards a good cause(it supports public radio which I am a big fan of and believe is cause worth supporting). Yet I don't know if it fits with the original intent of the money's purpose, in that I gain a certain amount of entertainment value from NPR.
This isn't really a matter of money, I'm going to make a pledge to NPR either way. I'm just wondering whether I should use "my own" money, or whether it'd be okay to use this other fund of money I've set aside.
I can see both sides of it and am looking for some outside input.
[ August 23, 2007, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: Strider ]
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
It would be perfectly okay, by my book, to use the funds you set aside to aid an NPR pledge drive. If your moral compass needs help, you could add some non-charity-earmarked cash of your own.
If you were using the money to, say, buy a Wii, that might be a bit more complicated. Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Almost all of my charitable donations go to public broadcasting. I think it is an honorable donation and there is no need to have qualms regarding self-interest.
In other words, just because you get something out of it, doesn't mean it isn't a worthy charity.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
but a Wii would not only serve the good cause of making me a happier person, but also many of my friends as well!
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Strider: but a Wii would not only serve the good cause of making me a happier person, but also many of my friends as well!
Exactly! Spending money on your personal satisfaction helps make you a more efficient, productive human being, thereby allowing you to work harder and make even more money to donate to charities!
This may or may not be my justification for a $500/mo ePorn habit.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
A Wii is just another way to distract&disconnect oneself from the world. NPR forces you to pay attention to those outside your own social circle, even when your intention was solely to amuse yourself.
On the other hand, I can't really picture NPR donations as charitable giving. Ya use the service, ya pays the money. Whether NPR or a museum or a ballet company, that you are also subsidizing those who don't donate is "just the cost of doing business" in the same way as paying for insurance also protects the uninsured from financial harm caused by an accident for which you are liable.
[ February 09, 2007, 01:06 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Abhi (Member # 9142) on :
Yeah... I dont think NPR is a charitable donation in the true sense of charity.
I think this is amongst the best programs honestly, and it's easy to make a difference in people's lives.
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
Are public broadcasting donations tax deductible?
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
that's a good question. and i have no idea.
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
They are, but you have to deduct the value of any member gift you get from the amount of your contribution for tax purposes. My station sends you a note with the gift telling you that and saying what the value of the gift is.
<- Member, Minnesota Public Radio.
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kasie H: Are public broadcasting donations tax deductible?
Find out for sure here. Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
this site needs polls.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I enjoy the fact that Hatrack doesn't have polls, sigs, avatars, and image tags, all of which I enjoy and use on other boards.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
I think it's perfectly valid.
Posted by Leonide (Member # 4157) on :
I think if you decided you definitely want that set-aside money to go to a charity, then you should give it to a charity, and give NPR your own "un-set-aside" money.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
NPR is a worthy cause, it'd pass my moral compass for sure. All of my charitable contributions, which aren't much, go to the Detroit Zoo, and while I know there are probably others out there that need it more, it's who I want to have it, and they need it, so I don't see any moral conflict there. I love going to the zoo, but I don't feel bad for contributing to their wellbeing at the same time.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
How much money we talkin' here? Can I volunteer to be a charitable cause? Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
I suggest you give your charitable money (loan it) to someone on kiva then spend your other disposable income on the public radio membership. This way, you will eventually get this money back (most likely) and can loan it again and again.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I didn't really get any clear consensus here, so I decided to split the difference. Half of my donation came from my charity fund, the other half was my own money.
I think when you start trying to say "but there are so many more deserving charities out there" you get into unsolvable relativist situations. That's why I started doing this. So i could give to a different charity each month, because there is no ONE charity that tops all the others.
I used the rest of the money for last month and donated it to the Red Cross. Since it was a smaller donation I went with something simple, figuring I'll save the larger donations for organizations that might not get as much funding as the Red Cross.
Posted by Avin (Member # 7751) on :
Wow, this is really interesting. My first thought after reading through this thread was, "do you really need to get other people's consensus to determine what to do with your own money?" Followed shortly by my second thought which was "What's wrong with that?" My first thought of course being informed by the more individualistic portion of myself, the latter being the reaction against that I have tried to grow in the last several years to encourage myself to be more community oriented.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I don't know that I even look at it as trying to be more community oriented. I honestly wanted to act in the most ethical manner. But my own morals left me in a middle ground where I couldn't determine the more ethical way to act. So I figured I would ask a community of people whose opinions, as a group, I trust more than any other group I know, and see if there was a clear consensus either way.
I don't know that I would come here and ask if everyone thought it was a good idea that I buy a Wii(which I am...can't wait...a friend who works at Target is getting it for me next time they come in...it's amazing how much harder the Wii is to get than the PS3 or xbox360). Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well, if you're looking for another worthy charity to do another month, may I suggest one near and dear to my mother's heart: Operation Smile?
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
thanks kq, I'll take any and all suggestions.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
<puts in another plug for kiva in case Strider (or anyone else) needs a great idea for a place to put their charity money, and missed it the first time I posted.>
I'm just so excited about this idea. It's a loan that you're giving to someone working hard to better their situation. You can loan any amount starting with $25. When the money is paid back, you can pick someone else and loan it again. Many of the entrepreneurs in Africa or Latin America only need a few hundred dollars to make a huge difference in their lives from now on. They're doing capital improvements to their businesses, usually, and expanding their stock. It's just such a fantastic idea! I have been picking one business each paycheck, and divvying in my little bit to the pot. I'm having so much fun watching it grow and snowball. Now I'm up to 13 businesses.
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