"I'll donate, but only if I get nothing in return."

[Rye]

I donate little bits of money whenever I see people with those cans. Usually that's for nothing in return. Once some boys were offering really old squishy granola bars in return for a dollar but I told them they could keep it, nicely. But I dunno if that's me just being grossed out by the old granola bars or being generous. Who knows. xD

But if I could donate to EoFF, I would. But I don't have a credit card.

[Lost Number]

Same here, this seems a nice place.
They did a study on altruism.
People will be altruistic, even when they would not give when they would recieve a direct prize. Its just odd.

[Captain Maxx Power]

"We are offering a considerably large PM storage limit for a year or two if you send in $12 / $20, and the first $129 will be going towards a new interactive FanArt gallery" then people shut up shop?

Four words buddy: I don't have PayPal.

[Rye]

Four words buddy: I don't have PayPal.

Yeah. Just because people aren't helping doesn't mean they don't want to. I'm only 15, I don't have a credit card or PayPal and my parents are starkly "THE INTERNET = RAPISTS!11" so s'not like I can ask them to help me.

[Dr Unne]

Perhaps the problem is putting a dollar amount on how much you have to give to get PM space. It seems like you're selling something. There is a different mindset between buying something someone's selling, and donating money to a cause. I become extremely defensive when someone tries to sell me something.

[Raistlin]

I donated the last time Cid asked, therefore I don't want to donate this time.

I think main issue is that the people who were willing to donate did so last time, so now there's no one left.

Plus, it'd be silly for me to buy PM space. I think I still have something over 64,000 PMs before I'm filled up.

[Dr Unne]

PayPal are shysters. Is there a way to donate money that does not involve using PayPal, and which does not involve getting anything in return? If you're concerned that people aren't donating money because they don't like the PM option, then keep that option but add another which you give money and get nothing.

[Zeldy]

Im hopeless when it comes to money. I buy things just because I have money :3

and like Rye said, my parents also think "INTERNET = PAEODFILES!!11" so asking them about donating to EoFF would be pointless

[Psydekick]

No offence BoB but its a waste of money

[KentaRawr!]

I would donate if I could, but I personally I think that the donation should be used to keep EoFF going the way it is. Extra PM space really isn't needed. o_o But still, if I could donate, I would.

[Resha]

I guess they feel virtuous. "Oh! I am giving money for little children in a far away land who will probably not get the money because of corruption in the government! What a good person I am! I will go to heaven!" Now, don't get me wrong - donating is good! It's a selfless act, and nothing against it. But maybe people are more willing to give money for something that they feel is for 'public good' or for the 'betterment of humanity', as opposed to something for themselves (assuming that the 'something' in question is something they can very well do without - exceptions being most material goods ). In that case, it'd just be a 'waste'.

[rubah]

We really should have pushed this to you guys as a fundraiser, dangit.

[Loony BoB]

Perhaps the problem is putting a dollar amount on how much you have to give to get PM space. It seems like you're selling something. There is a different mindset between buying something someone's selling, and donating money to a cause. I become extremely defensive when someone tries to sell me something.

We are selling something, I'll give everyone that. All I'm saying is that the first $129 will go towards the completely revamped FanArt section, which makes the first so-many purchases in all effect a donation. If people don't care enough about the FanArt section or donating whatsoever, that's fine. What I find strange is that people are willing to give to a cause if they get nothing in return, but not willing to give to a cause if they do get something in return. If they aren't going to donate anyway then I'm not bothered at all. This is just a case of "If you're going to donate, is it really that bad that you get something back?" Because I know a lot of people who have been willing to donate but extremely few that are willing to actually get something back.

I would just find it very odd if someone was given two options - one to get nothing and one to get something - but they chose the one to get nothing. That's what this thread is more so about.

I think Resha probably hit the nail on the head.

It's up to Cid how this is presented (donations or selling etc.) so I won't make any such call. All I'm saying is that if you want to donate, you could do it this way or the other way and this way you get something for it, that's the only difference to you.

rubah: We could have done it that way, but the 'donation' side of things is only the first $129 so it doesn't work too well - that's why we aren't calling it a donation right now.

EDIT: Here's a more straight forward look at it.

Loony_BoB: I mean... a lot of people have said they'd give money if it was a donation.
Loony_BoB: But if they have two options...
Loony_BoB: 1) They give Cid money and he puts it towards the new FanArt section.
Loony_BoB: and...
Loony_BoB: 2) They give Cid money and he puts it towards the new FanArt section and they get PM space.
Loony_BoB: ...why pick #1?

[-N-]

Perhaps the problem is putting a dollar amount on how much you have to give to get PM space. It seems like you're selling something. There is a different mindset between buying something someone's selling, and donating money to a cause. I become extremely defensive when someone tries to sell me something.

Yeah - there's a personal story I have that relates to this. In 2001, there was an earthquake that struck near my hometown in India (the one where like 13000 died and stuff). I was in highschool at the time, and decided to do some fundraising thing. I got a couple of friends, a bunch of shoeboxes, and made little donation boxes to put in each classroom. I just gave a little pitch in each class and asked for some extra change. I tried asking our Key Club to do something. Key Club said they wouldn't support me, because they were going to sell $5 postcards to help the victims instead. Left the boxes there for two weeks, got over $1000, and got Intel Corp. to match that (they have a bunch of Indian workers ). Anyways, I confronted Key Club after they ended their postcards thing - turns out they made barely $800. I concluded that 1) selling things when you're looking for goodwill is dumb and 2) Key Club is dumb. I'm not trying to say that I did better than Key Club or anything, but this story relates to the phenomenon that people don't always need something in return for their goodwill. It's goodwill, duh.

Last time Cid asked for money I sent 40 bucks his way. This time, I don't want PM space, so I send 0 bucks his way. The selling option doesn't give me a choice on whether I can donate or not. Those kids who come by selling candy and stuff for fundraisers? I don't want any candy - I don't like sweets. I always offer a couple of bucks, but they say they can't take it because they have to sell their crap in order for it to count. I concluded that 3) a capitalist approach to goodwill is dumb. It's goodwill, duh.

edit: sup BoB.
it's goodwill. duh. *makes into a slogan for some other cause later on*

[Loony BoB]

So basically you're saying it's a psychological thing.

What I'm saying is... if we did set it up so that you could donate and getting nothing as well as paying for PM space with proceeds going towards the same cause... what would be the point in choosing option #1? Unless you actually had a personal thought that you did not wish to have more PM space, I don't see the logical viewpoint. I know not everything works by logic, so I'm guessing it's psychological on some level.

Also: Not many people want postcards unless they're postage paid.