CREDIT: THE OTHER PRESS
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral on the Internet, and whether it's a good or a bad thing - well that's up to you to decide.

As far as raising cold hard cash, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has been a resounding success, but has the challenge really raised awareness about ALS? Are the people taking the challenge actually learning anything about ALS and how it affects people? Or are people just happy to have been challenged and now get to put up a YouTube video of themselves doing the challenge for all the world to see.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or motor neuron disease is a rare group of neuro- degenerative conditions, which affect the motor systems of the brain and spinal cord.

As a result voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body is weakened over time. What occurs is a wasting of the muscles that causes progressive weakness. The end result is a shortened life span.

Men are 20 per cent more likely than women to be affected by the disease and it normally strikes between the ages of 40 and 60, but can occur earlier.

If you know anyone suffering from ALS, then you have firsthand knowledge of how devastating and debilitating this can be. So at risk of being the bad guy, I think it’s time to put an end to the challenge.

My issue with the Ice Bucket Challenge is that once the craze finishes, will those who took the challenge and actually made a donation even think twice about the charity they donated to? If you’ve seen some of the videos of the challenge and the spectacle that it has become, it’s more about the act of ice water being dumped on ones head as opposed to this charity could really use my support.

So while the short-term cash infusion is welcome, I can’t imagine a scenario where it will be sustained to the point an actual breakthrough could be made to help those suffering from ALS. Especially in today’s world where a lack of an attention span is the norm and people move on to the next flavour du jour very quickly.

On the more extreme side, the Ice Bucket Challenge looks like a form of cyber bullying. Someone throws down the gauntlet, you’re publicly shamed into participating and you have to kick in a donation to a charity that may not be on your contribution list. What’s the difference between this and say Jimmy the school bully shaking down some kid for some lunch money? Perspective I suppose, but I can’t be the only one in this world that sees the connection, especially since society has become hyper sensitive to bullying.

Finally, philanthropy comes from the heart. I choose to donate, volunteer or aid a cause because I want to. I don’t need to make a grand gesture, or say to the world, “Hey look at me, look at what I’m doing, I’m a great person.”

I think this is where the Ice Bucket Challenge has gone off the rails and why it’s time this fad fades away.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.