Within hours of the Bondi beach terror attack, the money had already begun to pour in. As images of the tragedy flooded social media, people from around the world donated tens of thousands of dollars to the victims, their families and first responders.
Passing the hat around the neighbourhood or the local pub has always been a staple response in times of crisis. But today, that instinct to open your wallet has been exponentially supercharged via a digital simulacrum: online crowdfunding platforms.
GoFundMe fundraisers have since raised more than $3m for Ahmed al-Ahmed, who tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen before he suffered three gunshot wounds to his shoulder. Among dozens of other appeals in the wake of the shooting, $1m has also been raised for the family of the youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda.
And this month, as unprecedented bushfires swept through regional communities in Victoria, crowdfunding campaigns shot up to help families rebuild from the ashes.
“During times of mass catastrophe, we can easily feel overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness in witnessing such extraordinary harms,” says Dr Matthew Wade, a sociology and ethics researcher at La Trobe University.
If helplessness is the ailment, then crowdfunding can feel like the antidote.
Continue Reading on The Guardian
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.