100s of Customers Pay for Each Others’ Starbucks; 1 Jerk Ruins it All

[Xithras]

97. That's a matter of perspective, I guess.

And I'd suggest that the reason you "already heard" my "low brow retort" was that you already realized its truth yourself. It's a silly game, and is less "interaction" than you and I are having right now.

I generally detest slacktivism of any type, even if it's something as minor as fake generosity. It's the moral and ethical equivalent of putting a Greenpeace sticker on your SUV, or signing an online petition to your Senator to complain about some evil bill that will actually kill people\starve people\destroy lives. It's an action designed to make you feel good without actually requiring you to do anything at all. I don't particularly care if people want to waste their time on pointless exercises like this one, but it's certainly not something I'd respect or participate in.

To answer the question in the OP....I'd take my free coffee, take my $5 outside, and hand it to the homeless guy looking for lunch. That's how normal people interact with other human beings and help people out.