Rich people, give back!
Noblesse oblige has been out of fashion for a long time, suppressed by notions of social Darwinism, by worries about generosity being perceived as paternalism and by simple selfishness. Gates and Buffett are trying to make it popular again. It could, as Stacy Palmer, editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy noted, be a tough job:
"It's a stretch to see how they're going to get to the $600 billion figure," she said, noting that only 17 people on the Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest people in America are also on the Chronicle's list of the most generous American donors.
Comments
Were they given the money in the first place? Why is it people like to say the rich should "give back"? Most of them earned it. Fewer and fewer wealthy Americans earned it the old-fashioned way (inheritence). The best thing is for these folks to spend their money. Spending is what greases the wheels of our economy, puts people to work, and does the most good. Sure, if there are charitable causes they would like to support to make them feel better, that's fine too.
Posted by: J. Williams | June 21, 2010 12:35 PM
And how exactly is one going to spend more than 50 billion dollars? That is a hell of a night, or decade for that matter, out on the town.
Posted by: Bill Gates | June 22, 2010 10:11 AM
Brewsters millions. A hilarious movie and so true. $$$ begets $$$. The only way to get rid of cash is to gamble it away ala Leonard Tose.
Posted by: zigzag | June 22, 2010 8:02 PM
As long as its not the government telling me I MUST give it, then I don't mind. I just don't want to be compelled by the big federal government to do it!!
Posted by: Bob K | June 22, 2010 10:01 PM
One of the last members of the 'Noblesse oblige' set of national reknown was Andrew Carnegie. All he did with his money was fund several hundred libraries (the building AND the books within) across the US.
Each of the 'Carnegie Libraries' were required to follow some simple rules, the main ones were that the library was open to anyone who ventured inside, and people could 'sign out' a book (or multiple books) for a specified period of time so the library patron could read the book(s) at home, not in the library.
Posted by: Mike | June 23, 2010 5:12 AM