I’m doing it. Right now - I couldn’t wait until this weekend to starve myself, so I thought I’d get in early.
What bugs me though, is hearing 40 hour famine organisers try to get people to sign on by watering down the “40 hour famine” bit.
Such as, instead of giving up food for 40 hours, you give up TV, or chocolate, or something else.
Part of the whole 40 hour famine shebang is getting you to empathise with starving people by experiencing food deprivation like they have to. Except, they do it all the time, and they probably can’t have coffee, Coke or butterscotch either to make it easier.
Call me a killjoy but giving up chocolate or TV ain’t the same thing. I can’t imagine people in the third world fainting in the streets because “I haven’t had access to TV for over 30 hours now *gasp* *gasp* please help me… “
It’d make for some good charity ads though. “For just a dollar a day, you can give one child access to Foxtel”
So yeah. 40 hour famine people, do it properly! And if you want to sponsor me, let me know.
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August 14, 2006 at 5:38 pm
seb
wow i admire you, i wish i could go without food for 40 hours, i nearly signed up for that once. and no i didn’t opt out for the tv thing ( i think that’s stupid, if you’re gonna do it, do it right!)
August 14, 2006 at 9:28 pm
Mark Newton
It actually isn’t that hard in my opinion. They schedule it from 8pm on the friday (after you’ve already eaten dinner anyway) to midday on the sunday, so you are only missing four meals.
I don’t know if you are supposed to drink coffee and coke during it (actually they recommend against coffee) but that doesn’t stop me!
August 14, 2006 at 9:31 pm
Mark Newton
That link is meant to point to http://www.worldvision.com.au/40hourfamine/about_guidelines.asp
August 25, 2006 at 11:33 am
daviddouglas.
yeh i agree… about the whole foodthing… altho i think furniture is a near valid one… as its similiar to many of their expereinces im sure.
but food deprivation is important. i guess they are trying to make it attractive to a greater crowd.
August 25, 2006 at 3:47 pm
Mark Newton
The weekend without furniture is pretty interesting i’ll agree with that