One of the saddening and angering things about this time of year (just before and a while after Christmas) are the adverts requesting you have your phone/mobile handy to contact charities. The adverts then go on to become the most disgusting pieces of manipulation that you could see on non-fiction television. They seem to be aimed at older people who tend to be more vulnerable to this kind of manipulation, as sadly, because of this kind of hard and cruel television anyone under the age of fifty is becoming immune to the horrors that the world and these so called charities portray.
I must say shame on the charities that really play the pity cards. Rather than having a campaign that is positive or showing the good work charity money is doing, they focus on the horrors they are trying to stop, to guilt people into paying them. I don't like to name names but the kind of ads I am talking about include Anthony Nolan, the animal cruelty prevention campaigns and anything to do with helping blind people in poor countries. I find myself, like many, many others, switching off when these adverts come on because I think they are almost a form of emotional blackmail and it is often the most vulnerable in society who end up giving all they can to these charities.
You should never feel forced into giving to charity - because then it is not charity, it is a form of extortion (I am not claiming that these adverts are extortion).
Because so many groups are opting for these tactics, people in the 21st century tend to suffer compassion fatigue (where you become immune/resistant to helping others because you are saturated with images of horrors or left feeling that the money you donate is not going where you would like it to).
Personally I shall not give a penny to anyone trying to guilt money out of me. I give what I can when I can and no ad campaign will change my views, rather they make me so angry it only makes me turn to charities that do not opt for this kind of money-raising.
I do think that people should give what they can afford to charity, be it time, money, clothing/food etc, because we are all humans and should try to help one another out. I am also aware of the fact that despite the government's attempts to claim otherwise, the average person is still struggling with the recession (even though some would have us believe it is over). This is also a time of year when people have very little left over from the festive season and so I think it is a particularly poor choice of time to begin any kind of campaign trying to raise money.
Please note that I am not trying to decry charities. I am simply saying that I think the adverts some charities choose to produce are vulgar and hitting below the belt.
If you are thinking of giving to charity please choose wisely and please do not allow the kind of adverts mentioned above to choose for you.
On another note, I have written a bit of a sexy witchy/werewolfy/vampirey book (not erocita, but sexy). If you like Charlaine Harris, Carrie Vaughn, Patricia Briggs, hopefully you'll like this. It is available on kindle and now in paperback.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Wolf-Witch-Coffin-ebook/dp/B00CCWL6ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366023812&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wolf%2C+the+witch+and+the+coffin
My second book, The Island of the Mist, is now available on both Kindle and paperback formats:
Kindle: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B0092TUS7U/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1346945410&sr=1-2
And paperback: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346506656&sr=1-2
and in the US: http://www.amazon.com/Island-Mist-N-Roy/dp/147921292X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346946271&sr=1-2&keywords=the+island+of+the+mist
My first book, The Stone in the Sword, is now reduced in price: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3
