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The AlsIce Bucket Challenge

By Kalamwali in Experiences
Updated 01:30 IST Jun 16, 2016

Views » 916 | 4 min read

My this write up may cause a stir or may not be received very well with many. But I still feel the need to do this. This whole ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has divided our generation in two halves. The ones who have taken this challenge, donated/not donated the money, done it for fun. And then there are those who have refrained from taking this challenge, which is fair enough. There are also a few who are going on aggressively writing against this on social media. I am personally no one to judge anyone's actions or opinions, but I take this platform to discuss about this. The challenge takers are being criticised for wasting a bucket full of water when water actually is a limited resource and should be utilised wisely. I agree. Completely. But in this ice bucket challenge, there is literally not more than half a bucket of ice+water. If that really is a concern, one can easily use that half a bucket of water less while bathing (quite achievable I think). About people not having enough drinking water: How many of us have actually done something about people not getting enough water to drink. On a hot afternoon, have you ever rolled down the windows of your AC cars and given a bottle of chilled mineral water to beggars? I have. Several times. And I know the joy. That still might not justify wasting half a bucket of water, to be honest. But there are ways of making up for this half bucket. In the recent times, there have been several other opportunities to support a cause. How many have actually volunteered? How many even know about an entire Village called Malin being washed out? How many offered help in the form of resources, cash, medical help or even a bucket of water? Yes maybe video recording yourselves and tagging three other people on social media may seem weird or even silly for a few. But how else does anything go viral with our generation? How many of us would have read about this in the newspapers and felt the urge to do something about it? I am sure, not everyone is donating for the cause, but at least there is an awareness for the same. Also I don't think people taking up this challenge are on a mission to up their 'Cool' quotient on social media. And if that was the case, one picture with a celebrity, a fancy car or in a suggestive outfit is enough to do the needful. Those genuinely worried about whether these nominees are actually donating, can easily shell out $10 from their pockets. By this I don't mean to offend anyone who is against this trend. But those tagging others for "blindly following the west" are using a platform created by the west to do so. Again, I have no liberty to judge anyone but demotivating others my means of posts, tagging pictures of African kids etc. doesn't help any cause in any manner. Where the question of half a bucket water lies, use rain water, pour in on your heads in a green patch or near a tree, use ice cubes from a source that couldn't be put to better use (we bought ice cubes from a joint that sells sugarcane juice. So these cubes would have either floated in someone's juice causing illness or melted away into the gutters of Mumbai). There are many ways to support a cause. Choose what suites you the best. And if you choose not to support it, make sure you don't discourage others in favour of supporting it. I hereby apologise if my words hurt anyone's sentiments in any manner. -KalamWali.
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