The Karen Klein Indiegogo Fundraising Campaign is Heartwarming
Vivian Lau — June 22, 2012 — Pop Culture
Although YouTube is a gold mine for talent, inspiration and humor, it notoriously houses some cruel finds like videos puppies being drowned, the Luka Magnotta clips and as of just recently, a heartbreaking 10 minute episode of children verbally berating an old women -- inspiring the Karen Klein Indiegogo fundraising campaign.
Bullying in school is talked about all the time but many cannot fathom how wrong it is until a video like this surfaces and knocks us all backwards. The clip is difficult to watch as it features a handful of middle school boys uttering the cruelest of insults, verbally beating down their elderly bus monitor for a full ten minutes. The insults, name-calling and threats leave Karen crying, but yield no sympathy from the boys. A Toronto man, Max Sidorov, came across the video and started an Indiegogo campaign that accepted donations so Karen could be sent on a vacation of a lifetime. The campaign is open for 30 days, but has already amassed over $500,000 over its first two days, completely demolishing its goal of $5000.
The power of crowd-sourced funding is powerful, but this should not be the focus of the ordeal. Bullying is so real, degrading and too often used as a buzzword. More must be done so that we never find or hear of anything of this sort again.
Bullying in school is talked about all the time but many cannot fathom how wrong it is until a video like this surfaces and knocks us all backwards. The clip is difficult to watch as it features a handful of middle school boys uttering the cruelest of insults, verbally beating down their elderly bus monitor for a full ten minutes. The insults, name-calling and threats leave Karen crying, but yield no sympathy from the boys. A Toronto man, Max Sidorov, came across the video and started an Indiegogo campaign that accepted donations so Karen could be sent on a vacation of a lifetime. The campaign is open for 30 days, but has already amassed over $500,000 over its first two days, completely demolishing its goal of $5000.
The power of crowd-sourced funding is powerful, but this should not be the focus of the ordeal. Bullying is so real, degrading and too often used as a buzzword. More must be done so that we never find or hear of anything of this sort again.
Trend Themes
1. Crowd-sourced Fundraising - The Karen Klein Indiegogo campaign demonstrates the power of crowd-sourced fundraising to provide financial support for individuals in need.
2. Bullying Awareness - The viral video of the bullying incident highlights the ongoing need to raise awareness about the seriousness and impact of bullying in schools.
3. Empathy and Support - The overwhelming response to the fundraising campaign showcases the potential for harnessing empathy and support to make a positive impact on individuals affected by bullying.
Industry Implications
1. Education - The incident underscores the importance of addressing bullying in schools and calls for innovative solutions in the education industry to promote a safer learning environment.
2. Travel and Hospitality - The success of the campaign indicates the potential for the travel and hospitality industry to create innovative vacation packages targeting individuals who have experienced trauma or challenging circumstances.
3. Social Media and Technology - The viral nature of the video and the fundraising campaign highlights the role of social media and technology in spreading awareness and mobilizing communities to support causes and individuals in need.
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