Posted: Apr 22, 2012 6:31 am
Just getting back to the "rich are selfish" idea, I'd be interested to know what "rich" people they're talking about: new money, old money, money inherited, money made from "trade" and also social circumstances, and culture. I think that culture and tradition play a huge part in altruism, and philanthropy. My experience is that people who have always had money, and here there are no families older than 450 years anyway, and the money they have was made from having exploited the wealth they found when they came here, are more likely to be involved in charity and philanthropic works, than the people who for instance have made it from celebrity or a sudden windfall, but then again if they were already a member of an old, established family, and made money off a new idea, the philanthropy seems to come naturally. I grew up in comfortable circumstances. My parents' families were comfortably off, one from family history of farming and the other from "trade." Both sides were charitable. Giving anonymously to charity has always been part of our culture, we've never been in the "public eye" seeking celebrity through charity but in my family, we've always been generous in sharing whatever we've had with others, and not doing it for the tax breaks. I've never claimed a tax deduction for charity.