DEAR MISS MANNERS: A request for donations showed up on my social media feed, asking for money for a “friend’s” son to be able to go to Disneyland.
I think this type of request is highly inappropriate and somewhat annoying. I would understand if the child had some sort of serious illness and it was presented as a wish. However, the child in question is perfectly healthy and does not have any sort of disability.
What are your thoughts on this? Is it OK to ask random online acquaintances for donations to fund one’s vacation?
GENTLE READER: It is not even OK to ask for this from very close relatives. However, the distance of your relationship, and the fact that posting the request on social media has the added advantage of being impersonal, allows you simply to ignore it. Miss Manners only asks that you try not to take out your annoyance on the child, who may not have had anything to do with it.