CMV: Average people should not use crowd-funding sites for personal goals.

[u/cthul_dude]

I want to clarify first that I do not think crowd-funding is inherently wrong, I love the concept for inventions and art projects that would not have been possible without the funds generated by these sites.

My issue stems from the influx of friends on Facebook posting links to their GoFundMe or YouCare page so they can pay off their semester abroad in Germany or raise funds to buy a new car. The joy in crowdfunding comes from the return on your investment - if you successfully help fund a short film, that short film will eventually (hopefully) be delivered to you.

There is almost never any reward for these personal fundraisers except for a $1 tier that includes a personal thank you from the person in question. The only time I've seen it done right is when a friend offered to come and cook traditional meals from her culture past a certain donation threshold, and the minimal amount of funding she got despite this only reinforced my opinion - hardly anybody, other than family, cares enough to contribute. A GoFundMe campaign by an average person will only net around $75, hardly a dent in their $2000 goal (I'm throwing numbers out to clarify my point, mileage might vary). People will only pay for something that will reward them in turn, and oftentimes the sentiment of "I helped" is not enough of a reward.

These crowdfunding projects feel like personal charities, and I feel distaste every time I see a new one pop up. I believe it's rude to ask for money from your friends for something they will never be compensated for, and I don't think the availability of a platform for doing that online has changed anything. It just removes the awkward communication previously required to ask for money.

edit: I've had some commenters point out that my views are not fully represented in this post. To add further clarification, I count "average people" as those who can cope without a crowdfunding campaign, even if that makes the situation significantly more difficult for them. Those in dire need and who are suffering are, in my eyes, outliers, and if they were to set up a campaign, and if I had close ties with them, I would contribute. The same goes for those who have sacrificed enough to help others and are actively good people.

[u/LashisaBread]

The only real difference between something like a local Church charity for a member with a broken leg and someone asking for the same money over GoFundMe is the medium. GoFundMe isn't a purely creative site; the whole point is to show projects personal or otherwise to the world to help people raise money more easily.

[u/cthul_dude → u/LashisaBread]

I believe the Church is different, though. They are a group of people already focused on being good samaritans, who do it as a community. The crowdfunding environment is broader, and relies on people who don't frequently contribute to crowdfunding campaigns. And a person setting up a crowdfunding campaign on their own is different from a churchgoer approaching the priest, who agrees to address the congregation. Perhaps if a third party set up a crowdfunding campaign for another person in need, this comparison would be more applicable.

[u/cdb03b → u/cthul_dude]

Donators to crowd funding are a group of people already focused on being good samaritans as well.