The Celebrity Halo Effect
The "green halo effect" is the term for how, per a University of Toronto study, people who buy green products feel virtuous -- so virtuous that they're more likely to lie, cheat or steal.
Vanessa Grigoriadis writes in New York about celebrity giving:
Everyone can agree that giving is a beautiful thing, and that the rich and famous among us should be encouraged to donate as much as they possibly can. The problem is that celebrity charities are rarely run well; for every impeccable foundation by Martin Scorsese, there's a Yele Haiti, Wyclef Jean's charity, or a nonstarter like Kanye West's educational foundation, which was shuttered in April. In fact, some philanthropy advisers say that many of the celebrities they counsel don't even want to donate to their own charities. "Very few sports stars, other than Lance Armstrong, actually donate to their own charities," says a tax adviser. "Most of them say, 'My fans will donate.' Their attitude is 'I'm contributing my celebrity to this cause.'"
I suggest that this is inverted.
If you were a personality of conspicuous consumption, you'd probably still notice that this isn't the best thing to be. A "Green" action would just be the first and most conspicuous "good" thing to do, relieving the stress to be a better person.
You can see this in actors backing causes, some of them questionable. When you make a living doing what others tell you, down to what to wear and say, there's a lot of pressure to contribute.
Simple question: did this precede the "green" movement?
Yep.
So "green" isn't the cause, but a new way to ID the effect.
Radwaste at May 8, 2011 8:15 AM
Kanye West Educational Foundation? Odd acronym.
Anyhoo, this is the guy who grinds my gears:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhpNJAKq7dE
Eric at May 8, 2011 8:30 AM
'I'm contributing my celebrity to this cause.'
That is worth something.
Just not so much as you want to believe.
I R A Darth Aggie at May 8, 2011 11:39 AM
I plead guilty to not always donating money to causes I have volunteered/worked for.
NicoleK at May 8, 2011 12:44 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/05/08/the_celebrity_h.html#comment-2115395">comment from NicoleKSometimes, as is the case with theFIRE.org, I volunteer my time instead of giving money. I don't think that's a bad thing, especially if you're financially stressed.
Amy Alkon at May 8, 2011 1:50 PM
>> especially if you're financially stressed.
When I was growing up in the 1970's my Dad had an English friend who used to joke "things are so bad we're getting CARE packages from China."
Seems ironic now.
Eric at May 8, 2011 2:59 PM
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