The charitable guilt complex.....

Before you read today's relatively short blog, take a look at this from the New York Times.

The Charitable-Industrial Complex

I disagree with his "more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates vast amounts of wealth for the few" attitude. After all, those systems that create "wealth for the few" also create jobs for everyone else, jobs that are disappearing largely due to our government's attempts to level the playing field by mediating as some sort of modern day Robin Hood, but unlike the legendary Robin Hood, keeping most of what they steal from the rich rather than actually passing it onto the poor.

Having said that, I do agree that philanthropy has become a chest thumping "look what I do for the poor" instead of the honest, biblical mandate to "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." (See Matthew 6:1-4) I don't think modern philanthropy is so much guilt driven as it is "look at me" driven.

Finally, keep in mind this whole opinion editorial comes from a man who inherited his personal wealth, from a man whose wealth came from investments in the very system he's criticizing today.

Do I smell guilt?  ;^)