MTV Wants You To Give A Shit – and Nothing Else

A few months ago MTV started a new campaign, asking folks to “give a shit.” The website provides several causes to choose from, and with a click of your mouse the cause(s) you care about are noted.

And that is it.

There is no education about the causes, no links to organizations actually working on solutions, no way to give money or find ways to volunteer. The campaign uses the “quantum physics” described in books like “The Secret” to justify this approach. MTV says that even in our hectic, distracted lives we can take a moment on a regular basis to “give a shit while taking a shit” to change the world.

I don’t blame the campaign for the shock-value of cussing while doing good. In fact, other organizations like Charity Swear Box utilize potty-mouthed Twitterers to encourage giving. I just thought after nearly 6 months of this campaign that either:

  1. MTV would realize that it didn’t hurt to add a few cursory educational or donation-type links and give a smidge of legitimacy to this campaign, or
  2. People would stop clicking and participating!

I would even take a paragraph or two on how some groups think destigmatizing talk about bathroom breaks may help with sanitation efforts.

This is a great example of “the bad.” Any time, effort, or money (I’m not worried about passion – these guys clearly don’t have any) spent on this project could have been directed towards moving families out of poverty.

I will leave you with this. Throughout the site MTV quotes the Dalai Lama, who it claims inspired the idea. Of course, I might personally go with this quote to show that he is likely not a supporter.

It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives.

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