Below is taken directly from a Matt Friedman post on LinkedIn:
Compassion fatigue
About a year ago, I was on the metro train returning from a client meeting. While I was content catching up on some emails, I couldn’t help but overhear two loud men discussing a topic that clearly irritated them both. Their conversation went something like this:
First Man: “I really can’t stand it anymore. Just when I thought all those charity groups were done trying to get me to donate to Ukraine refugees, that earthquake hit. I’m so tired of people coming up to me asking for a handout. It happened in my office again today.”
Second Man: “Yeah, and if it’s not these new causes, then it’s the whales or the trees or some other lame issue.”
First Man: “I don’t donate to any of these groups anymore. Who knows what they do with the money?”
Second Man: “I don’t give either. I did for a while, but it just never stops. I work hard for my money. Why should I hand it over to someone else? They should go out and find a job like everyone else.”
After listening to them talk, I briefly considered saying something to these two men, but I stopped and asked myself, “Who am I to judge what they say?” The reality is that the sentiments they expressed are shared by many others.
What they described is often referred to as ‘compassion fatigue.’ We donate to some charities, and then more come along asking for help. Eventually, we become jaded and resentful.
Finding a way to overcome this feeling is one of the significant challenges of our times.
That morning, I watched news clips that focused on the victims of the earthquake. In addition to the 45,000 deaths and 300,000 injuries, over 5 million people were homeless. To support these individuals, an immense amount of food, tents, blankets, hygiene supplies, and much more were needed.
The faces of the men, women, and children haunted me all day. Their expressions were filled with grief, fear, sadness, and hopelessness. This is just one example among countless others of people in need.
The major issues facing the world are real and daunting. They won't resolve themselves; action is required, and extensive resources are needed to address them.
Perhaps we need to reconsider how we approach giving. I have two suggestions.
First, each of us might find it helpful to determine a specific amount to contribute on an annual basis and commit to that. I know people who do this: they identify a cause they care about and donate regularly. This method can alleviate the guilt often associated with being targeted by multiple fundraising campaigns.
Second, the amount chosen should be significant. Many of us have jobs that offer good salaries and enjoy comfortable lives, while so many others suffer. Given our blessings, we should be open to making generous contributions. This can help make the world a better place.
Who wouldn’t want to be a part of making this happen?
About a year ago, I was on the metro train returning from a client meeting. While I was content catching up on some emails, I couldn’t help but overhear two loud men discussing a topic that clearly irritated them both. Their conversation went something like this:
First Man: “I really can’t stand it anymore. Just when I thought all those charity groups were done trying to get me to donate to Ukraine refugees, that earthquake hit. I’m so tired of people coming up to me asking for a handout. It happened in my office again today.”
Second Man: “Yeah, and if it’s not these new causes, then it’s the whales or the trees or some other lame issue.”
First Man: “I don’t donate to any of these groups anymore. Who knows what they do with the money?”
Second Man: “I don’t give either. I did for a while, but it just never stops. I work hard for my money. Why should I hand it over to someone else? They should go out and find a job like everyone else.”
After listening to them talk, I briefly considered saying something to these two men, but I stopped and asked myself, “Who am I to judge what they say?” The reality is that the sentiments they expressed are shared by many others.
What they described is often referred to as ‘compassion fatigue.’ We donate to some charities, and then more come along asking for help. Eventually, we become jaded and resentful.
Finding a way to overcome this feeling is one of the significant challenges of our times.
That morning, I watched news clips that focused on the victims of the earthquake. In addition to the 45,000 deaths and 300,000 injuries, over 5 million people were homeless. To support these individuals, an immense amount of food, tents, blankets, hygiene supplies, and much more were needed.
The faces of the men, women, and children haunted me all day. Their expressions were filled with grief, fear, sadness, and hopelessness. This is just one example among countless others of people in need.
The major issues facing the world are real and daunting. They won't resolve themselves; action is required, and extensive resources are needed to address them.
Perhaps we need to reconsider how we approach giving. I have two suggestions.
First, each of us might find it helpful to determine a specific amount to contribute on an annual basis and commit to that. I know people who do this: they identify a cause they care about and donate regularly. This method can alleviate the guilt often associated with being targeted by multiple fundraising campaigns.
Second, the amount chosen should be significant. Many of us have jobs that offer good salaries and enjoy comfortable lives, while so many others suffer. Given our blessings, we should be open to making generous contributions. This can help make the world a better place.
Who wouldn’t want to be a part of making this happen?
TRAGAST is a very small entity. Our focus is Training to Prevent Child Human Trafficking. Here is a list of reasons to support us and a list of reasons to not.
Support TRAGAST:
- The prevention of child human trafficking is the right thing to do.Prevention is much less painful than rescue and restoration.What if prevention could remove or at least reduce the need for rescue and restoration? That would certainly help make the world a better place.
- TRAGAST is an open book.We pride ourselves in financial transparency. We would be delighted to show you exactly where your donation would go. (At this point, 100% of our donations go to support Peace Culture Foundation training).
- TRAGAST is comprised of Rotarian's who share the same passion. Our vision is to see a Thailand region free of human trafficking.
- With your support, we can fulfill our mission to enable and assist our community to take action to eliminate human trafficking and human exploitation through awareness and specific projects, especially prevention!
Not support TRAGAST:
- Donations to TRAGAST are not tax-deductible.
- Not everyone thinks the prevention of child human trafficking is the most important cause. Many wonderful people support other worthy causes.
- Not everyone sees the benefit of making altruistic gestures.
Gentle reader, I will ask you to finish this story as it applies to you. If you wish to support TRAGAST, please let us know at treasurer@tragast.org
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