Friday, February 1, 2013

Internet Larff of the Week: PledgeWeak

First of all, I have no idea if this site’s name is actually PledgeWeak (without the space) or Pledge Weak (with the space). It’s so hard to tell these days.*

But the site, apparently in its infancy, is quickly doing for the head-scratching projects at Kick Starter what Regretsy has done for the questionable handicrafts at Etsy, but, mercifully, without (so far) the foul language that would make Tigger blush with shame. 

PledgeWeak’s contributors scour Kicksterter – you know, Kickstarter, the site where anyone with a gadget and a dream of bringing it to market can go to beg for money from the Internet masses to bring their dreams to fruition – for the dubious, the lame, the projects that on the surface look really cool but actually turn out to be some random Internet bum looking for the proverbial handout. 

Here’s my favorite so far. 

James Davey says “After graduating last year my dreams of becoming an Oscar-winning film director, tour documentarist, photo journalist have been trounced time and time again.”

Well, James gave it a good – what, nine months? – so now he’s just put those dreams on hold for a while and wants to hit the road. The only problem is that without ever having won an Oscar, made a documentary or sold a photograph he’s got no scratch. No problem – that’s what Kickstarter is for right? There must be thousands of people out there willing to fund your amazing journey of incredible discovery. All you have to do is attach some kind of tangible goods to the thing and you can call it a “project.”

You heard it right. Mr. Davey has tried and tried and tried but after NINE WHOLE MONTHS he’s giving up and going on a road trip. Or maybe the road trip will turn into that grand adventure which he can photograph and then produce into something Oscar-worthy. Or not. But he’ll have some travel under his belt, and hey, he didn’t have to pay for it. You did. 

And another one, in which is said this: 

I’m well aware that, inside the houses we pass, legions of rapidly aging Boo Radleys are clogging up the internet with all manner of unsavory, cringe-inducing business. I have hope that by the time my child is Caleb Zammit’s age, grown men who boast about their action figure collections and craft lewd garden ornaments in their off hours will seem sad and quaint. For right now, however, I’d prefer they spare me the grief of explaining why magical woodland creatures are waving guns and taking dumps on the neighbor’s lawn. 

What’s more telling about the site’s future success is the comments on this one (up to four! But I did say this appears to be something new) where, just like at Etsy, the affronted friends of the Kickstarter are there to defend the dubious project and to call the manhood of the satirist in question. Good on you. You’re getting there. 

I’ll leave the fun-poking to the writers at PledgeWeak, who have definitely got a good thing going. And I’ll be returning now and then just to see where I’m glad my money isn’t going. 

*It appears the spelling without the space is correct. Natch.

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