At this point, it’s a statistical certainty. Within 20 or so days, every human on the planet will have performed the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS—the neurodegenerative disease that essentially short circuits the wiring of your body. But you’re not an “in the backyard, wearing underpants, wading in a kiddie pool type,” are you? You graduated from RISD! You set kerning for a living! You can do the challenge—you would never say “better” than everyone else—but maybe, “with more intent” than most. Here is how a design snob, or really any snob, performs the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. And for ease of use, we built a borderline meaningless point system for you to follow. Let’s say any score over 50 points keeps your snob cred intact.
Let me just state for the record, that I’m sick and tired of the “Ice Bucket Challenge.” At the risk of being mistaken for a curmudgeon, I understand and appreciate that it’s raised multiple millions of dollars to fight a horrible disease. That’s a good thing, right? I hope all those millions will be able to make a dent in ALS.
No, my complaint is with seeing everyone and his brother dumping buckets of ice water on their head. It was cute for awhile, but now it’s just old. Sure, in a way it’s rather democratizing, because anyone can challenge anyone (I’d challenge Pat Green, Rhett Miller, and Charles Manson. Well, maybe not Manson…but I could if I wanted to.)
If you insist on doing what everyone else seems to be doing (I’m unique! Just like everyone else who’s doing the same damned thing!!), at least do it with some panache and style, knowhutimean? ‘Cuz frankly, this whole phenomenon has jumped the sharked and is TOTALLY lacking any originality.
Fight ALS. Write a damned check, already. You’ll feel better about yourself…and you’ll be dry and won’t have a mess to clean up.
