Make A Wish

While listening to the radio the past two days I came across a telethon on 97 Rock for the Make A Wish foundation. I think that Make A Wish and other charities are a good example of a gift economy. This is not because people are literally giving a gift and donating money, but as seen on their website, people are volunteering their services and helping people in need.

The article by Peter Kollock defines a gift as the obligatory transfer of inalienable objects between related and mutually obligated transactors. This relates to the foundation in many ways. A person can offer to be a volunteer for a picnic, for example, that brings kids with illness together and gives them a safe place to play. This person is giving their time and effort to the kids without them having the obligation to give something back. The gift is also very specific because a child may have a great experience with an activity, and will be able to relate a name or a face to that good feeling. Finally, the gift starts an ongoing relationship between people, and the child feeling better about themselves may depend on the volunteer work given.

How does this face to face exchange relate to the internet? People who would normally not know where to find information about Make A Wish may come across a link to the website. There, they can get the information, see success stories, or actually sign up to become a volunteer. The donation of money online can lead to the funding of research that leads to new information regarding the treatment of diseases. This exchange may not be direct, but a doctor is still not obliged to track down the people who funded the project to get new information, and pay them back. In turn, the people who see new developments know that they had a part in it, even though it may impact someone far away.

Many other gift economies provide direct information exchange. For example, someone could post advice about buying a house in their blog for everyone to see, so people wouldn't have to hire a consultant who requires payment in return for the information. The free information about buying a house is the same as the time and effort or donations people can give, as they are both public goods. The Kollock article describes the need for motivation and coordination when providing a public good. Especially by being able to sign up online, it is easy for Make A Wish to get volunteers, and people who are interested in helping others. If people sign up to do this kind of charity work, they are most likely to already be motivated and focused on the job. The foundation is also highly coordinated as the web site shows. It displays the different representatives that are stationed all over the country and the specific programs people can get involved in. It is easy to follow a site that is coordinated nicely like that.

Wikipedia, which is a gift economy itself due to the fact that the public adds info to the site, states that a gift economy emphasizes social or intangible rewards for generosity. I believe a foundation like Make a Wish shows all the characteristics of a gift economy that have been stated. The people that put forth their time and effort to help children with illnesses, get the reward of the good feeling that comes with helping the less fortunate.