The Coffee Lovers Charity

I must say, Rêveurs, the new year just started and I'm already pretty pissed. I came upon this blog I usually read, but this time one of its authors wrote about a coffee lover's philosophy called "Pay it Forward." Now apparently this coffee shop has had strangers buy every one's drink for whatever amount they paid. It all started with a woman who came in, bought coffee, and gave $100 to the cashier to pay the drinks for whomever was behind her. At first, I thought "Wow. That was really nice of them." But then I kept reading and learned that this has been going on for the past 2 years. Now I'm not saying the people who donate are bad people.

I left my comment at the end of the blog stating that the money could have been given towards a better cause. There are more important things than coffee. Especially if this community has been giving for the past 2 years. Now, after my comment, I later found out that someone replied to it and said giving is giving and whatnot, but in a nice way, so I replied in return saying I understand that, but I still think after 2 years, that money could have helped a really good cause. And then another person said if he or she were ever on fire someone can just throw me over him or her to extinguish the flames. Wow, what nerve for that person to write that to me, while we are talking about giving and charity in a mature manner. Another person wrote that I'm the needy one and am jealous of them rich coffee drinkers. Please.

A couple of others said giving is giving, but there was another person that agreed with me calling the Pay it Forward philosophy a "placebo effect" which makes the giving person feel good about what they did, but not really making a change. I didn't want to reply since I was just over the thing, not wanting to preach my opinion. After all, that's what it is --- an opinion. If people get my opinion through their head and agree with it, then that's cool. But if they don't, that's just fine. It's not like I'm going to see them anywhere. All that matters to me is knowing people out there are giving to the right occasion. I know my money and volunteer time will always go toward something that NEEDS it like charities that help with the poor, homeless, hungry, or sick. People who do the giving rather than the receiving are forever blessed but “you can't get rid of poverty by giving people money.” --- P. J. O'Rourke.