Being a Doctor means you don't have to donate? - Page 2

Lisa Simpson · 4th July 2012, 05:09 PM

I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management.

Babbylonian · 4th July 2012, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by Lisa Simpson

I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management.

I've done exactly that, a few times unfortunately. Twice I've reported pushy mothers selling Girl Scout cookies (I don't know if they're officially a charity but they're certainly a de facto one), once a guy collecting for some environmental charity, and another time I had a Salvation Army guy cop an attitude with me - all outside the same Safeway store. It's in a fairly "high-brow" part of town but I'm far from the upper income bracket, and that's no excuse anyway.

theprestige · 4th July 2012, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

What about everybody else? Good luck fighting cancer if you never had teachers. And cops! You would have been killed by crooks without cops around. And the military. Been invaded lately? No? Thanks to whom? And does everyone walk to cancer research? No. They drive. Thanks to their mechanics and car salesmen and bank loan officers.

If you're going to start issuing profession-based passes, where does it end?

For me? It ends with doctors, firefighters, and EMTs. Your mileage may vary.

theprestige · 4th July 2012, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Babbylonian

Your thesis would make more sense if doctors weren't already well - often very well - compensated for their service.

As well they should be. But from everything I've heard, doctors are just as often not particulary well compensated, especially when you account for the effort and sacrifice necessary to even earn the title, the debt load accumulated along the way, etc.

Quote:

A firefighter may not have been the best example I could have used.

Yeah, maybe not.

Quote:

What if the doctor is a plastic surgeon operating only on well-to-do patients? Or a dermatologist employed by the cosmetics industry?

Oh snap! I hadn't even thought about that! Good point! Now my entire house of cards is collapsing around me!

/sarcasm

Actually, the convenient thing about the obvious is that you don't have to waste any time going over it with intelligent people, because, well, they're intelligent, and it's obvious.

Quote:

Besides, we're not talking about writing big checks here. We're talking about offering up a buck/quid or less and making excuses when "no" would suffice.

First, that's my point: doctors* already do much more for people than any punter who just drops a dollar in a charity bucket on their way out the market.

Second, I don't agree that doctors* are making an excuse; I think they* are giving a valid reason.

Third, so what? If it's already agreed that not donating is sufficient, who frackin' cares what gibberish the fellow mumbles as he barges past?

--
*Except for the obvious exceptions, obviously.

Babbylonian · 4th July 2012, 09:36 PM

I apologize for my stupidity.

TragicMonkey · 4th July 2012, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by theprestige

For me? It ends with doctors, firefighters, and EMTs. Your mileage may vary.

So, a nurse who works 36 hour shifts gets no credit from you, but a surgeon who performs liposuctions does. A cop who got shot in the stomach protecting bank customers from armed robbers gets no credit, but a junior firefighter who has not yet experienced a single fire does. An EMT who has assisted one case of heart attack that turned out to be heartburn gets credit but the soldier who lost both legs and an arm protecting your country does not. Interesting.

epepke · 4th July 2012, 10:24 PM

It's an expression of disdain for superficial claptrap, and I have some sympathy for it.

I haven't ever bought a Snapple beverage in my life because they sponsored Rush Limbaugh back in the days when me might have been made to wither. When some supercilious retards a few months ago just discovered that Rush Limbaugh was a jerk and wanted me to jump on their useless bandwagon, with petitions and nominal support and idiotic gestures, it rather annoyed me.

This is not as solid as the Good Doctor's decision to devote not merely a few hours on the street gathering some money that will probably be frittered away, but rather his life, choosing a meagre existence to fight these things, but it gives me some empathy.

Beerina · 5th July 2012, 07:58 AM

Originally Posted by Lisa Simpson

I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management.

So instead you did exactly what your namesake would have done: muttered, walked away, and then went and bitched about it on the Internet.

Psi Baba · 5th July 2012, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by bluesjnr

This is a good observation because, according to the charity worker, he has been told at least once that an individual wouldn't donate because they could never support creating more cancer. According to him it was an English teacher (read smart ass).

This is similar to the National Hockey League's campaign a couple years ago which was promoted as "Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Week." I never understood why they were so against making people aware of cancer.

Beerina · 6th July 2012, 05:09 AM

Originally Posted by Psi Baba

This is similar to the National Hockey League's campaign a couple years ago which was promoted as "Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Week." I never understood why they were so against making people aware of cancer.

No, no, they are making you aware of an incredibly rare form of cancer caused by hockey brawls.

Careyp74 · 6th July 2012, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by Beerina

No, no, they are making you aware of an incredibly rare form of cancer caused by hockey brawls.

We should have donated more. Not everyone was aware of it, obviously.

Lithrael · 6th July 2012, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

When next I refuse a charitable solicitation, I shall unbend to graciously explain, with tact and dignity, and go one better than that guy. "No," I shall intone solemnly, "I will not, for, you see, I am Doctor Who." Implying that I'm off to save the universe, and anyway whatever money I have on me is probably from another century and planet, and I need to go in haste to travel around with young girls in my mystery box, nothing suspicious about that, is there? And once it was a fifteen-year-old boy, which proves I'm not up to anything. Right? Oh. That's not how that works? That's even worse? Oh. Well, then, here's a dollar. I'll be off. Bye!

He used to have rather a lot of boys in the mystery box you know.. But when the universe turned colour in 1970 boys became unfashionable and so he quit letting them on board.

4th July 2012, 05:09 PM	#41
Lisa Simpson THE Lisa Simpson Administrator Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 123 Fake Street Posts: 20,039	I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management.
	__________________ That's what the Internet does -- you get a free bonus prize of Stupid Lies with every box of Delicious Facts. - cracked.com Facts are satanic litter on the heavenly highway to blind faith! - Betty Bowers

4th July 2012, 05:38 PM	#42
Babbylonian Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 4,464	Originally Posted by Lisa Simpson I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management. I've done exactly that, a few times unfortunately. Twice I've reported pushy mothers selling Girl Scout cookies (I don't know if they're officially a charity but they're certainly a de facto one), once a guy collecting for some environmental charity, and another time I had a Salvation Army guy cop an attitude with me - all outside the same Safeway store. It's in a fairly "high-brow" part of town but I'm far from the upper income bracket, and that's no excuse anyway.
	__________________ Where am I going to find a piece of metal? Here...in space...at this hour?

4th July 2012, 09:20 PM	#43
theprestige Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 8,568	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey What about everybody else? Good luck fighting cancer if you never had teachers. And cops! You would have been killed by crooks without cops around. And the military. Been invaded lately? No? Thanks to whom? And does everyone walk to cancer research? No. They drive. Thanks to their mechanics and car salesmen and bank loan officers. If you're going to start issuing profession-based passes, where does it end? For me? It ends with doctors, firefighters, and EMTs. Your mileage may vary.
theprestige Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 8,568

4th July 2012, 09:32 PM	#44
theprestige Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 8,568	Originally Posted by Babbylonian Your thesis would make more sense if doctors weren't already well - often very well - compensated for their service. As well they should be. But from everything I've heard, doctors are just as often not particulary well compensated, especially when you account for the effort and sacrifice necessary to even earn the title, the debt load accumulated along the way, etc. Quote: A firefighter may not have been the best example I could have used. Yeah, maybe not. Quote: What if the doctor is a plastic surgeon operating only on well-to-do patients? Or a dermatologist employed by the cosmetics industry? Oh snap! I hadn't even thought about that! Good point! Now my entire house of cards is collapsing around me! /sarcasm Actually, the convenient thing about the obvious is that you don't have to waste any time going over it with intelligent people, because, well, they're intelligent, and it's obvious. Quote: Besides, we're not talking about writing big checks here. We're talking about offering up a buck/quid or less and making excuses when "no" would suffice. First, that's my point: doctors* already do much more for people than any punter who just drops a dollar in a charity bucket on their way out the market. Second, I don't agree that doctors* are making an excuse; I think they* are giving a valid reason. Third, so what? If it's already agreed that not donating is sufficient, who frackin' cares what gibberish the fellow mumbles as he barges past? -- *Except for the obvious exceptions, obviously.
theprestige Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 8,568	Last edited by theprestige; 4th July 2012 at 09:35 PM.

4th July 2012, 09:36 PM	#45
Babbylonian Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lake Oswego, OR Posts: 4,464	I apologize for my stupidity.
	__________________ Where am I going to find a piece of metal? Here...in space...at this hour?

4th July 2012, 10:14 PM	#46
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,053	Originally Posted by theprestige For me? It ends with doctors, firefighters, and EMTs. Your mileage may vary. So, a nurse who works 36 hour shifts gets no credit from you, but a surgeon who performs liposuctions does. A cop who got shot in the stomach protecting bank customers from armed robbers gets no credit, but a junior firefighter who has not yet experienced a single fire does. An EMT who has assisted one case of heart attack that turned out to be heartburn gets credit but the soldier who lost both legs and an arm protecting your country does not. Interesting.
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

4th July 2012, 10:24 PM	#47
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	It's an expression of disdain for superficial claptrap, and I have some sympathy for it. I haven't ever bought a Snapple beverage in my life because they sponsored Rush Limbaugh back in the days when me might have been made to wither. When some supercilious retards a few months ago just discovered that Rush Limbaugh was a jerk and wanted me to jump on their useless bandwagon, with petitions and nominal support and idiotic gestures, it rather annoyed me. This is not as solid as the Good Doctor's decision to devote not merely a few hours on the street gathering some money that will probably be frittered away, but rather his life, choosing a meagre existence to fight these things, but it gives me some empathy.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,950	__________________ "It probably came from a sticky dark planet far, far away." - Godzilla versus Hedora "There's no evidence that the 9-11 attacks (whoever did them) were deliberately attacking civilians. On the contrary the targets appear to have been chosen as military." -DavidByron Last edited by epepke; 4th July 2012 at 10:26 PM.

5th July 2012, 07:58 AM	#48
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	Originally Posted by Lisa Simpson I got yelled at by charity collectors the other day. I didn't have any cash to give them (and wouldn't have anyway, I don't like giving to religious charities) but the guy called me a stupid bitch! I should've gone back in and reported him to store management. So instead you did exactly what your namesake would have done: muttered, walked away, and then went and bitched about it on the Internet.
	__________________ "Great innovations should not be forced [by way of] slender majorities." - Thomas Jefferson The government should nationalize it! Socialized, single-payer video game development and sales *now!* More, cheaper, better games, right? Right?

5th July 2012, 08:44 AM	#49
Psi Baba Homo Skepticalis Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Occupying my barstool Posts: 3,177	Originally Posted by bluesjnr This is a good observation because, according to the charity worker, he has been told at least once that an individual wouldn't donate because they could never support creating more cancer. According to him it was an English teacher (read smart ass). This is similar to the National Hockey League's campaign a couple years ago which was promoted as "Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Week." I never understood why they were so against making people aware of cancer.
	__________________ Save Caribbean Rum! (seriously)

6th July 2012, 05:09 AM	#50
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	Originally Posted by Psi Baba This is similar to the National Hockey League's campaign a couple years ago which was promoted as "Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Week." I never understood why they were so against making people aware of cancer. No, no, they are making you aware of an incredibly rare form of cancer caused by hockey brawls.
	__________________ "Great innovations should not be forced [by way of] slender majorities." - Thomas Jefferson The government should nationalize it! Socialized, single-payer video game development and sales *now!* More, cheaper, better games, right? Right?

6th July 2012, 06:38 AM	#51
Careyp74 Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Trevose, PA Posts: 3,407	Originally Posted by Beerina No, no, they are making you aware of an incredibly rare form of cancer caused by hockey brawls. We should have donated more. Not everyone was aware of it, obviously.

6th July 2012, 07:23 AM	#52
Lithrael Muse Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 773	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey When next I refuse a charitable solicitation, I shall unbend to graciously explain, with tact and dignity, and go one better than that guy. "No," I shall intone solemnly, "I will not, for, you see, I am Doctor Who." Implying that I'm off to save the universe, and anyway whatever money I have on me is probably from another century and planet, and I need to go in haste to travel around with young girls in my mystery box, nothing suspicious about that, is there? And once it was a fifteen-year-old boy, which proves I'm not up to anything. Right? Oh. That's not how that works? That's even worse? Oh. Well, then, here's a dollar. I'll be off. Bye! He used to have rather a lot of boys in the mystery box you know.. But when the universe turned colour in 1970 boys became unfashionable and so he quit letting them on board.
Lithrael Muse Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 773	Last edited by Lithrael; 6th July 2012 at 07:25 AM.