7 cups: Now Joining the Ranks of Separating the Rich from the Poor.

Sorry for the mistakes!

Should be:
... if some lawyer now says ...

... in our too uncompassionate World ...

@Sorceress @JeffWM

I'm sorry you feel this way. If you have other ideas for making 7 Cups sustainable long-term, please share them. The services you use at this time will remain completely 100% free. In order to make sure those remain free for everyone, we have to generate income in some way. Here's how I look at it:

Is it an ideal situation? It's not the best or the worst. However, I try to remember that if we opt to not try to generate revenue in some way, that also means 7 cups simply won't exist. Sometimes we have to choose our battles. And, I want it to exist.

Hello @Sorceress! I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts on this new addition to 7 Cups of Tea. Your post reminded me of a book written by my favorite artist, Amanda Palmer. In her book The Art of Asking, Amanda discusses how everyone in our society seems to struggle at some point in their lives with asking for anything--for help, for attention, for support--and why that's just silly of us. Most people struggle with asking quite a lot, and sometimes we struggle with seeing others ask as well. Which is strange, because what's really so wrong with asking?

Something I really love about 7 Cups of Tea is the way it allows people to ask. It encourages people to ask! No matter how challenging it can be to ask for what we need or want in our daily lives, when a member comes to 7 Cups they find a place where asking is not only accepted but actively encouraged. You've likely asked from 7 Cups of Tea before, just as I have and every other member of this community, listeners, members, and guests. A place like this--a place of genuine asking, giving, and receiving--is rare in this world, and I really appreciate that 7 Cups provides that for us.

In her book (which is excellent, and something you might enjoy reading!) Amanda Palmer discusses the difference between begging and asking. Begging, she believes, is when a person demands without giving in return. Asking, however, is more of an exchange. Asking is optional. Asking builds a connection, begging does not.

7 Cups is not begging. 7 Cups is asking. They're saying, "Hey, we love being able to help people. We'd like to raise some money so that our nonprofit can do more work for our awesome community, since some funds are required to keep the site running for all of us to benefit from." They're not requiring anyone to give anything. Your access to the regular site that you've always had is not restricted at all. Donating to 7 Cups will bring you a few extra perks, because asking, unlike begging, is an exchange. But the existence of these new perks does not take away from the functions of the site and ability of every single person who comes here to be able to receive help and access necessary resources.

No one is required to give. I would certainly have a problem if 7 Cups became a service that you had to pay to use! But thankfully, that is not what this is at all, because if you don't give your 7 Cups experience will stay exactly the same as it's always been. This is not demanding. This is simply asking, something 7 Cups has a right to do--especially when you remember that the donations are being invested right back into the community to help it grow. Of course, you can have a right to do something and it can still be morally wrong. This, however, is not. It is not wrong for anyone to ask. It is not selfish or weak or discriminatory or cruel. Asking is a part of being a piece of the human race. It's simply saying, "I'd like to do something and I could use your help if you'd like to give it. If you don't, it's okay. I'm just asking."

Amanda Palmer made history by being the first musician to raise over a million dollars with a Kickstarter campaign that funded a new album of hers. Her fans gave her money so she could create art for them. Fans who didn't donate to the campaign could still listen to her music, but people who wanted to support her and had the means to do so could, because to provide music for them Amanda needed money. There was nothing wrong with what Amanda did with her Kickstarter campaign. Amanda asking her fans to give money if they wanted to didn't mean she was creating her music only for the wealthy. To provide a service for people she needed funds. Giving the money was optional--I didn't give any money to the Kickstarter campaign but I still enjoy Amanda's music! And likewise, there's nothing wrong with 7 Cups of Tea asking--asking, not demanding or begging. Anyone can donate now if they want. If they don't want to, they can still use the site exactly as they did before and will also benefit from the results that new funding will bring to the advancements of the site. It's a win-win.

I can completely understand why you're leery of this change. I actually wasn't a fan when I first heard about this! But then I took the time to learn a little more about what was actually being done, took a step back, and remembered that there is nothing wrong with asking so long as the giving is optional (as this is). Their asking actually doesn't have to impact your 7 Cups experience at all--all that changes for you if you don't donate is that there's now a new bottom at the top of your screen. Your resources here are unchanged. If you want to give you now have that option and will receive a few perks in gratitude for what you've given. And if you don't donate you are absolutely always still welcome here.

I've spoken to a couple of admins regarding this and they are looking to implementing one-time donations as an option -- though they want to establish what will work as a sustainable revenue first.

HOWEVER, one-time donations as well as several other improvements are definitely on the table from what I've ascertained.

I think it would be better if everything was free with the option to donate but it prompts you to do those. So you would use something like for instance the chat system and then after a few days it would say something like, "Did you find this chat helpful?" "If you did would you consider donating to 7 cups..." or if you did a growth path it would ask you after you completed a step.

There is Financial sustainability to be concerned with: no doubt.

Many years ago, some friend and I started a Non-profit in order to get the disabled on the (then newly public) Internet. This was years before AOL and Compuserve existed. We rented a space and would and put two or three broken, donated, computers together to give away. That was the "relatively" inexpensive part. The part that took deep pockets was paying for our own Internet service, phone lines (I believe we had as many as 96 at one point), electric, and rent. Each of us spent about $15k - $20k / year out of our own pocket to pay our bills.

We did consider bringing taking in 'contributions' and eventually allowed for monthly users to pay for Internet service with an email. It was all very exciting. As it grew a tiny bit, we realized that although people were willing to pay for a 'service', it was quite difficult to get people with the proper expertise to give of their time.

Some laws changed and we had competition from other Internet Service Providers and then, rather quickly, companies like America Online and General Electric's Compuserve. I'd like to believe that's what caused us to close up. The truth is our service was spread too thin. We had weekly classes on setting up Internet service (in English & Spanish) and would make house calls to deliver, setup, and train those who were disable.

Yes, we could have looked towards other places for donations of money. We decided against that since the money was not our major concern.

Financial sustainability is important. Having a service is equally important.

I was recently mentioned in a post concerning becoming a part of 7 Cups that works mainly on the messages. As humbled as I am, as I continue to ponder my decision, I wonder if I can devout the proper time to such a worthy cause.

I try not to sound conceited, but I do believe that personal storms and demons have caused me to gain a certain perspective that allows me to merely remind people who are suffering that they are deserving of compassion, kindness, patience, and love from themselves. My own experiences have led me to have personal perspectives on how we are all, in our own way, suffering and (almost blindly) looking for the pain to cease. I have personal opinions that I try and share, when appropriate, that we too often don't look towards the actual cause of our suffering, but look towards, often destructive methods of relieving ourselves of our pain.

Sometimes all I do is remind the suffering soul that they do not necessarily deserve to suffer anymore and that they are deserving of their own compassion. I also try (as much as I am able through a screen and mere words) that their suffering causes me great sadness and that I often think of these individuals and those whom remain silent. I care for these people just as they are, scabbed angel's wings, and all.

Perhaps I'll ask if they would consider looking for assistance getting onto their path, or if they can separate many issues so they can deal with them one at a time.

I have nothing prophetic to offer, just (what some may call) a 'seasoned', compassionate ear.

I don't do this nearly enough. I am aware of that. I try to do what I can. Can my efforts, or those of many others be monetized?

Of course, if 7 Cups is unable to pay its bills, then no one is able to ask for assistance and no one is able to offer an ear and (hopefully) the ability to clarify and prioritize the causes that bring people here.

On the other hand, if 7 Cups is unable to build and sustain a well rounded group of concerned individuals that are willing to give of their time will it eventually grind to a halt or become yet another 'social media' site.

It is a difficult balance. How do you do one without the other? Which is more important to live having a working heart or working lungs? Of course that's a silly question.

I don't have an answer. For me I would like to be able to donate when I am able. (Sadly, certain bills come before others.) I would also like to remain looking at recent posts, so I can answer to the newest, so someone who is suffering can see that their post is actually read. As you can guess from this post, I try to really think things out in my own mind. If there is anything I've learned is that there is no such thing as a writer…only a re-writer or editor.

I will end here asking only that people earnestly attempt to contribute how they can. If you are fortunate enough to be able to donate financially, then that is wonderful. If you are unable, perhaps you can pick out one or two posts once in a while and just let the person know, "I read your post. I acknowledge how difficult you have it. Try to remember to be kind and patient with yourself. I too suffer in my own way and am not yet able to offer any wise words, but know that I read your post and I genuinely care." I think often people don't necessarily want an 'answer': they just want to be heard or recognized. I could be wrong.

Let us strike a balance and try to contribute as we can. (BTW, I don't speak for 7 Cups in any way. This is my opinion!)

Be well

In no way do I feel abandoned. When I go to McDonalds I pay and don't have a problem. I get what I'm paying for. If I went to McDonalds and got home with cold food, my burger was wrong and my fries were missing,then I wouldn't pay.