No More Excuses

As I was reading the article about the increase of fundraising on the web, I couldn't help thinking of all the possiblities for me. In a way, it is exciting. I have participated in Relay for Life for years, and now I can do it online, although I don't really know how to work Second Life quite yet. There are all sorts of organizations I can help in some way without ever leaving my house or without taking up more than a couple of minutes at a time.
However, it is also a little scary in a way because now I have no more excuses. Anyone can get involved now with the click of a button. The guilt soon sets in that I don't do nearly enough to help people less fortunate than me, and it's not like it would take that much of my time. Now I am going to actually have to navigate off of my email account and other surfing activities and do something productive and good for someone other than myself. There are some sites that you benefit just by directing your browser to them. That takes nothing, but so many people forget to do it.
Although many people worry about the negative effects of the Web, it is doing so much good and allowing people to do so much good for the entire world. Some say it is making us antisocial, lazy, and even dumbing us down, but applications and Web sites like the Relay for Life section of Second Life turn this argument on its head. The good far outweighs the bad. I know that thanks to the internet, I am (and will become more) involved in so many more philanthropic organizations, even if it is just in a small way.