Tsumoney

I'm in a mood for a rant. Things haven't been going so well lately, and I feel rant-ful. What I am going to complain about has been around for some time, so it's less a case of insight and more of "me too".

We all know about the tsunami that occured last December and the devastation it caused. We also know of the vast amounts raised as people responded by the millions. Well, so have corporations. How do we know this? Because they tell us so. Over and over again.

I have no problems with corporations that donate anonymously, without a lot of fanfare. They're doing a good thing. On the other hand, the ones that present large mock cheques and appear on the front pages strike me as being self-serving. I have no idea how much an ad on the front page of a national daily costs, but they'd better be donating at least that much. But, still, I grit my teeth and bear it.

However, the ones I really get upset about are those who promise to donate on your behalf but only if you buy theiir products. "10% donated to tsunami aid for every purchase", it says. I'd rather them give me a 10% discount and trust me to donate the rest myself. They can even put a strongbox next to the restaurant. But don't dress up what is basically a promotion or advertisement as an act of generosity.

I'm still waiting for the ad that says, "Instead of buying an RM8 cup of coffee from us, give the money to someone who needs it".