Facebook: The Home of Half-Hearted Caring

I have volunteered at the OC Humane Society, walking dogs and picking up countless bags off dog poop. I raised more than $2,000 and walked 60 miles in three days to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I organized an event that raised almost $800 in one night for LifeHouse of Orange County, a group that provides food to homeless people. I adopted an old, deaf dog from Seal Beach Animal Care Center instead of buying a fancy one at a pet store. I have helped build a house with Habitat for Humanity. I have donated clothes, food, and money to benefit causes I care about. I donate blood every couple months.

I'm not telling you this to brag or to make you feel guilty, because baby jeezus knows that I could be doing much more. I'm telling you this so you can see what I HAVEN'T done: I haven't changed my Facebook status or picture to "benefit" a cause or to raise awareness about anything. Even I am not that lazy.

Seriously people, all the cryptic messages about bras and purses and pregnancy are just ridiculous. Please someone tell me how tricking people into thinking you're pregnant is going to help cure breast cancer. Do you even think about the fact that many women are not able to have babies because of cancer? Way to rub it in, jerks. What is being cryptic actually doing for the cause? I bet you wear pink in October, too.

And, really, you post a status about all the abused animals in the world, but you trot your little designer dog around on its fancy leash? Do you honestly think there is one person on your Facebook friends list that doesn't know that animals are abused, abandoned, and alone? Whose life are you changing by telling me to repost something that doesn't even include a link to donate or volunteer?

The WORST was the whole "change your profile picture to a cartoon character to raise awareness about abused children." You have got to be kidding me. If you want to put up a picture of Rainbow Brite, I say more power to you--she's rad--but DON'T pretend that you're doing it because you give two shakes about a child. You're doing it because you think it makes your profile look cute and you want to join in the fun with all your friends.

Here's an idea: go spend your weekends in a soup kitchen, read to seniors whose families have dumped them in a home, sew blankets and donate them to a children's hospital. Actually DO something that positively impacts the world and the things you claim to care about.

I wish I could spend every second of my day volunteering. I wish I had millions of dollars to cure diseases and save children. I don't, but I do what I can. And, yes, I can change something on Facebook to make my friends think that I am this fantastic person with a big heart.

I choose not to follow the herd and do these meaningless things. I choose to quietly volunteer and donate. I choose to take action about the causes I care about. Try volunteering and tell me that you get the same feeling from being in the trenches that you do by posting some stupid crap on Facebook.