Volunteering for the 'right' causes

The explanation for the volunteerism glut more likely relates to our widespread desire for recognition. The games will be big and bold; the sexiest event in town for two weeks. It seems that we are simply a self-interested bunch after all.

In any event, the message for games volunteers who don’t discard their games “duties” after reading this article is to have your fun, which is what this is mainly about. If you want to do something that will contribute to social utility, all the hard work still remains to be done - your compassion credit register is still on zero. So how about spending the same amount of time volunteering towards helping people that are experiencing genuine suffering and distress?

Reports about four weeks out from the games indicated that 1,500 volunteers had already thrown in the towel. Hopefully they have decided to direct their spare time to more worthy causes. It is hoped that those who fulfil their games activities will do likewise once the party is over - after all many Australians never get to party at all.

So what would this mean for the games? They would be a lot more expensive for the government (they would have to pay for people to do the grunge work) and the games would run less smoothly. The Victorian Government would pay close to the full economic cost for the games, making it less likely that it would bid for another similar event - especially given that so many tickets - about 300,000 - went unsold.

If events like the games can’t fund themselves it is best that Australia does not bid for them in the future. They have no intrinsic or significant value. That’s why you probably can’t remember where the Commonwealth Games were held or who won the blue ribbon event (the 100 metre dash) at the last games, just as these games won’t even be a pinprick on the social utility radar a couple of weeks after the party bash that is the closing ceremony.