Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
You cannot mandate philanthropy. It has to come from within, and when it does, it is deeply satisfying.
Philanthropy is not about giving money but about solving problems. While well-meaning, the idea of writing a check and calling it 'philanthropy' is extremely short-sighted and unfortunately, extremely pervasive.
At the end of the day, philanthropy can only ever be an adjunct to what governments provide. And government coffers need to be replenished.
The responsibility of philanthropy rests with us. The wealthier we are, the more powerful we get. We cannot put the entire onus on the government.
Philanthropic humility is necessary if a giver is to do more good than harm, but it is not sufficient - philanthropic prudence is also needed.
Philanthropy should be taking much bigger risks that business. If these are easy problems, business and government can come in and solve them.
Effective philanthropy requires a lot of time and creativity - the same kind of focus and skills that building a business requires.
Philanthropy is natural. For a mother, taking care of her children is natural. If I am rich, I take care of the poor, like a mother would.
Those of us who have yet to find philanthropy may find there is a far greater reward from it than from wealth creation.
Philanthropy should be voluntary.