A Good Deed

Philanthropy can be a heart whelming event, that provides people with the sense of hope, that the world can still be a good place. Millionaires, billionaires, or even just the upper class, hold charity events, fundraisers, and society balls, all to give back to their community. Is that the only objective? It's hard to assume the motives of people, but there is some stigma when it comes to philanthropists. Is it actually a good deed or is it just another check off the list, on things they need to do, in order to stay on top? Would they just want to look like they care, so they look like a unique, good rich person? How does philanthropy help those "expressed selves" that is talked about with by Leo Braudy in The Frenzy of Renown? The Frenzy of Renown, a critique on American culture, expressing this double identity in society. Braudy ignites the idea of the famous person holding an “unexpressed self,” and a “talked-of self” through stories told by others, and through the “widening of franchise” (Braudy). Based on this conception, it is very plausible to argue that the elite is able to throw around a bunch of money, because they can, in order to gain good publicity, impress others for the gain of alliance, or as a bribery. How much do these people actually care about the cause, and how much are they aware of their increasing popularity in the process?

Bill Gates is a great example of a philanthropist. I firmly believe that he is passionate about what he does, and he has given nearly $50 billion in estimated total. His foundation was in order to "improve the quality of life for individuals around the world."


Now we have Warren Buffet, who actually partnered up with Bill Gates in order to give away his portion of wealth. However, Buffet earned his rich and luxurious life by investing and sustaining monopolies. How he works is that he invest in companies that are a "near-monopoly" and then focus solely on that company, somehow ensuring that no other companies compete. Could his good deeds just be able to please the public in order to keep doing dirty business?