Filantropia Vingativa

A New Yorker traz uma historinha muito interessante nesta semana. Uma moça distraída com um acidente bateu de leve na traseira do carro da frente, uma perua Saab.

Apesar dos danos serem imperceptíveis a mais de o sujeito do Saab fez questão de chamar a polícia e fazer um BO O sujeito do Saab é um advogado e, de acordo com o relato, um estereótipo do cretino mesquinho que quer levar vantagem em tudo. Daqueles que não sabem ou não querem discernir a diferença entre o legal e o ético.

O noivo da moça, Michael Schur, resolveu intervir quando o sujeito do Saab resolveu cobrar mais de U$ 800 pelo conserto. Shur propõs que a grana fosse doada para a Cruz Vermelha para as vítimas do Katrina.

Saab Guy told Schur, à€œLook, I could live with it, but I just donà€™t want to.à€ Schur pointed out that petty accident claims contribute to skyrocketing insurance rates.

à€œI donà€™t care about insurance rates,à€ the lawyer replied.

à€œYou should care,à€ Schur said. à€œYouà€™re a resident of this city, and ità€™s a huge problem.à€ Schur then thought of something about which the lawyer should care even more. He proposed, on the spot, to contribute the $836.96 to the Red Cross in Saab Guyà€™s name, to help provide relief to the victims of Katrina. The lawyer didnà€™t seem interested. He wanted his bumper fixed. But Schur kept after him. Finally, the lawyer said, à€œO.K., Ià€™ll think about it.

Então Schur conversando com amigos resolveu começar uma campanha por e-mail para envergonhar o sujeito do Saab pedindo que dinheiro fosse doado para a Cruz Vermelha em nome dele... Se o sujeito do Saab não concordasse com o acordo, as doações seriam feitas em nome de à€œSaab Guy Is an Asshole.à€

He wrote his first mass e-mail, asking for donations to the à€œMike Schur Saab Guy Katrina Fundà€ from people whoà€™d already given on behalf of the hurricaneà€™s victims, from those who had not, or from those who merely, as he wrote, à€œjust want to see Saab Guy shamed like the jerk he is.à€ If Saab Guy agreed to the arrangement, the donations would be made in his name. If he didnà€™t, the donations could be made under à€œSaab Guy Is an Asshole.à€ The e-mail shot out into the world. Within hours, friends, and friends of friends, had pledged nearly twelve thousand dollars. à€œThis is the greatest thing ever,à€ Schur wrote. By the next day, the haul was up to thirty thousand.

Entretanto, mesmo com o sucesso das doações, a iniciativa trouxe um sentimento ruim... Schur então resolveu consultar professores dee ética por todos os EUA para discutir a "filantropia vingativa".

The next morning, Schur found himself paralyzed by, and luxuriating in, his misgivings. Vengeful philanthropy: it was a category unto itself. He spent a couple of hours cold-calling ethics professors around the country. A consensus emerged that the problem lay in the desire to induce shame. Charity was good, but spite was not. He worked up the courage to call Saab Guy again, and he reiterated his offer, adding that some friends of his had also pledged money. à€œI donà€™t want to say he ignored it, but he kept going on with his thought process,à€ Schur recalled. à€œHe did say, though, that heà€™d been thinking about whether he was being petty.à€ Saab Guy didnà€™t ask Schur how much had been pledged, and Schur didnà€™t go out of his way to tell him. Nor did Schur mention the sprawl of his campaign, the blog, or the fact that a charitable enterprise had been launched under the banner à€œSaab Guy Is an Asshole.à€

No final das contas, Schur mandou um cheque para o sujeito do Saab no valor do conserto do carro e o advogado se comprometeu a doar parte da grana. O cheque ainda não foi descontado.

Vale dar uma olhada no blog da campanha com mais detalhes da história: http://saabbumper.blogspot.com/.