# Gofundme mooches **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 10, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668 "2016-02-10T00:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/21 "2016-02-11T00:15:47Z")
With all due respect to the OP, it would be better in the long run if we all donated money to political candidates that support universal healthcare so nobody in this country has to beg for life saving cancer treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/22 "2016-02-11T00:19:59Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > With all due respect to the OP, it would be better in the long run if we all donated money to political candidates that support universal healthcare so nobody in this country has to beg for life saving cancer treatment. That way the physicians can group up and decide who gets the limited resources and who is, well, left in the cold. But hey, it’s “free” right. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/23 "2016-02-11T00:49:17Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That way the physicians can group up and decide who gets the limited resources and who is, well, left in the cold. But hey, it’s “free” right. And the alternative is? Stick with the current approach where insurance companies decide? I think I’d rather have my life in the physicians’ hands. And my sympathies to the OP. It sucks to see what other people consider worthy of their money. There’s no great answer other than avoiding it. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/24 "2016-02-11T00:51:41Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That way the physicians can group up and decide who gets the limited resources and who is, well, left in the cold. But hey, it’s “free” right. That’s cool with me. It’s not like the system we have now is fair. The sometimes extrordinary resources used to prolong the life of a 90 year old woman by a month could be used instead to treat cancer in a child. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/25 "2016-02-11T03:20:11Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > I hate to say this, but I’ve noticed a lot of this passive-aggressive attitude by spouses of cancer victims lately, that the entire world needs to stop and cater, hand on foot on them and give them special privileges over others. Here’s an annoying recent example: > > [http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/news&id=366622171](http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/news&id=366622171) Yeah! And we should eat all those Irish children, too! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/26 "2016-02-11T04:06:26Z")
I notice that rich people like to help out their other rich friends. It’s more about the social circle keeping the wealth inside their own community. My former boss has a kid with a fairly common illness. They did a Gofundme not that long ago so they could get some new medical treatment. It got coverage in the local paper- former boss’s best friend owns the paper. He inherited it just as ex-boss inherited his business. It was funded in no time. I looked at the page and it was a Who’s Who of people who owned local companies. It was like the guys who owned 5 hotels and restaurants and the hottest club in town being charitable to a guy who only owned a couple restaurants and only got a $30,000 car and 1 apartment building for his 18th birthday instead of a house and a boat. I bet if my mom had cancer, and she just worked for these people for 40 years and didn’t happen to be born to or sleep with them or any of their friends, she wouldn’t get the total that just one of these guys gave to this dude. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/27 "2016-02-11T04:27:18Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I just hope karma finds these selfish people who’ve preyed upon others to fund frivolous things You just described 99% of all capitalism. Why do you hate America? ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/28 "2016-02-11T04:37:09Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > I hate to say this, but I’ve noticed a lot of this passive-aggressive attitude by spouses of cancer victims lately, that the entire world needs to stop and cater, hand on foot on them and give them special privileges over others. Man, I wish I could get in on some of that sweet cancer action, I’d be living the good life in no time flat. Lucky sonsabitches get all the breaks. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/29 "2016-02-11T06:56:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > No you don’t. You’re a troll and you enjoy every minute you spend posting your inane thoughts here. I don’t want anyone to get cancer. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/30 "2016-02-11T07:01:22Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > I agree. There are people dying in Africa for lack of a $200 water filter while teenagers here spend twice that on a phone that is primarily used to take selfies. So, anyone that donates money to anyone other than the OP is a piece of shit, is that what you are saying? > [@](#): > > I hear you. I used to be an asshole too and felt exactly the same as you when I was young single and extremely selfish. I’m not selfish. The law is Philadelphia is “no savesies” and I think its passive-aggressive to write this kind of note, when maybe knocking on a couple of doors and saying, listen can you help with this? might have been better. > [@](#): > > I still remember when I used to get mad that my boss used to give my secretary (a single mom) the afternoon off whenever schools let out early or she got a call from the school saying her kid was sick. I mean for fuck’s sake, I did not go to law school so that I would end up doing my own photocopying. Then I had a kid and I wondered “How the fuck do single moms do it?” Oh, don’t get me started on the “world revolves around me because Im a single Mom” deal. You must have missed one of my other pits. > [@](#): > > WTF is wrong with the OP, its just cancer, amirite? I hope you never have to find out if having cancer is really as bad as all the whiny cancer patients make it out to be. Here we go with the veiled wishes that I get cancer. But Im the asshole. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/31 "2016-02-11T07:02:57Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That pretty much sums up my feelings too. Im sure you and **Snowboarder Bo** will get over it. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/32 "2016-02-11T07:04:18Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That pretty much sums up my feelings too. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > You are a hateful bastard and I hope you step on a lego in your barefeet. Hey thanks for checking in again Piggy. Still butt-hurt from the whooping I gave you on the Sacramento Kings thread, I see. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/33 "2016-02-11T10:23:05Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Gofundme generally annoys me when I’m made aware of it, otherwise I tend to block that shit out. > > I should start a site called [GiveMeFreeStuff.com](http://GiveMeFreeStuff.com) There was a brouhaha in my internet circle awhile ago where a friend who’s been running a particular site _gratis_ for the last 10 or so years decided he wanted some kind of monetary compensation for it. He had a number of financial issues going on which his salary couldn’t begin to touch. He set up the gofundme and OMG it was like WWIII between those who supported him completely and donated pretty good amounts of $ and those who were, “WTF?” He since has gone to another site which isn’t as blatant and he never mentions it anymore. It also helps that he’s gotten a better paying job. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/34 "2016-02-11T10:28:10Z")
I have a friend who shilled at least 3 times on gofundme in the last couple of years for experimental medical treatment. I think that says more about the deplorable state of health insurance in this country than it says about her having to shill. My coworker’s family shills on gofundme every time somebody dies. Two weeks ago it was an uncle. A few months ago, a cousin. Before that, an aunt. If you go to the local paper’s archives, it’s true, they all passed. But having to shill for burial expenses every single time? I know burial’s expensive but still. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/35 "2016-02-11T16:43:35Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > My husband has cancer, and it’s an unusual variety. We’re trying to raise some funds via a gofundme page in order to afford treatment as the costs have drained our savings down to the last nickel, and there are so many people getting far more money than we’ve managed for things like cameras, sewing machines and trips to Disneyland. > > I just hope karma finds these selfish people who’ve preyed upon others to fund frivolous things when I’m, hoping to afford treatments that will keep someone alive. I’m so sorry you and you’re family are going through this. I hope in the end you are able to raise a meaningful amount of money to help with the situation. But I can’t get behind lashing out at others who don’t know you or are not in your situation. While your situation is bad, the world is full of people who are in equally bad straits. There is no way any of us can solve all of the suffering in the world. As has been pointed out, I doubt very seriously random people on the Internet are buying sewing machines for strangers. There’s usually always a connection. People who start these campaigns aren’t preying on people (as long as their asks are honest). They ask, if you don’t want to give, don’t. There’s nothing predatory about it. People work for their money and it’s their perogative on how to spend it. No need bring in karma as a weapon against them or the askers. Again, you have my sympathies. I hope the best for you and your husband. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/36 "2016-02-11T17:38:49Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Still butt-hurt from the whooping I gave you [Say what?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-89G2yCsgM) ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/37 "2016-02-11T19:13:42Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Im sure you and **Snowboarder Bo** will get over it. I’m sure once they go down to the quarry and throw shit down it they’ll feel better. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/38 "2016-02-11T20:00:50Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > I can’t figure out if you’re for him or agin him. > > I third the suggestion to put the link here on the SDMB. Quite a few nice and generous people here. I was mocking him mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/39 "2016-02-11T20:04:12Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > That way the physicians can group up and decide who gets the limited resources and who is, well, left in the cold. But hey, it’s “free” right. There are some things that our society has decided should not be distributed based on ability to pay. Health care is among those things but because we do not acknowledge our own position, we end up paying for it in the least efficient way that I can imagine. The only way it could be worse is if we had to use bitcoin or healthbits or something. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668/40 "2016-02-11T20:05:51Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > I notice that rich people like to help out their other rich friends. It’s more about the social circle keeping the wealth inside their own community. > > My former boss has a kid with a fairly common illness. They did a Gofundme not that long ago so they could get some new medical treatment. It got coverage in the local paper- former boss’s best friend owns the paper. He inherited it just as ex-boss inherited his business. > > It was funded in no time. I looked at the page and it was a Who’s Who of people who owned local companies. It was like the guys who owned 5 hotels and restaurants and the hottest club in town being charitable to a guy who only owned a couple restaurants and only got a $30,000 car and 1 apartment building for his 18th birthday instead of a house and a boat. > > I bet if my mom had cancer, and she just worked for these people for 40 years and didn’t happen to be born to or sleep with them or any of their friends, she wouldn’t get the total that just one of these guys gave to this dude. There’s no percentage in buying your mother’s good will. But if you are a first round draft pick coming out of USC… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gofundme-mooches/745668.md?page=3)