At 12:43 p.m. on Monday, April 15, Paris authorities were alerted of a fire alarm in the historic Notre Dame cathedral. Local firefighters worked against the flames and were able to put out the fire after 12 hours, but significant damage had already been done to the landmark. The fire and its aftermath devastated the people of Paris and resonated with others worldwide. Within three days, more than $1 billion had been raised to repair the cherished cathedral.

What seemed to be an international tragedy has quickly grown into a controversial topic. People turned to social media to mourn the loss, but also to add a picture from their glamorous trip to Paris. While a majority of the posts had good intentions, many seemed to be a way to brag about their trip rather than show support.

Rebuilding the monument is important, but in the end the overwhelming financial support could have been more effectively used to resolve other social issues. The continuous lack of clean water in Flint, Michigan, the destruction of sacred Native American lands or the recent terrorist bombings in Sri Lanka are just a few significant concerns. Multi-million dollar donations from the French as well as other nations prove that many social issues could be solved easily if rich people felt inclined to help.