Zuckerberg’s $100 million to Newark schools, David Geffen’s $100 million to change Avery Fisher Hall’s name to his own, the Carnegie Foundation’s backing of PBS, Bill Gates’s attack on tropical diseases, and so forth all bother me because these “charitable works” are either blatant PR or trips to the public confessional to repent for sins committed.  This isn’t an “exclusive or” either, because a public mea culpa is both good for PR and repentance.

Most billionaires have left a lot of bodies in their wake as they cruise to riches.  Maybe some aren’t perfect sociopaths and occasionally feel guilt, so they throw a few alms (what the above amounts to) to feel better about themselves.  But super-inflated egos won’t let them do that anonymously—they have to derive PR benefit and public acclaim for their beneficence.  You can check out the bios of all the people I’ve mentioned.  They all have skeletons in their closets.

A local news item illustrates how this sickness has permeated our society.  Recently a woman in the NYC area was asked to sign a prenuptial by her future husband.  She refused, but she didn’t cancel the lavish reception.  Instead, she collaborated with the Salvation Army to select “deserving people” to attend a sumptuous luncheon.  I don’t denigrate those people chosen by her and the Salvation Army who attended.  Hell no!  But the woman reveled in the positive PR and the local media cooperated.  Why not cancel the event and donate the money anonymously to charity?  Just to stick it to the man who demanded the prenuptial?  OMG isn’t strong enough.  This is sicko.

I can’t complain about people who donate to worthwhile causes, but I will complain about people who want public recognition for it.  No matter the size of the donation, am I the only one who thinks that this is buying notoriety?  Americans are the most charitable people on the planet.  They donate and work for good causes.  Most of us do so without expecting anything in return.  Those who feel the need for recognition are warped.  Humility is a virtue that’s disappearing too fast.  Like most virtues, it’s often stealthily attacked by moneyed interests.  It’s so bad that I often ask myself, “What’s the agenda?”  Maybe I’m warped too by asking that.  Dunno.

Of course, sometimes those foundations often turn out to be more than just PR—they make money for the “philanthropists.”  The Clinton’s foundation is a prime example—Billy can tour the world and write it all off to the foundation.  Charities deceive too—remember the United Way scandals a few years ago?  The Old Cops Beneficent Organization (made-up name) calls me; I listen to a spiel about how they help old retired cops and then ask, “You’re a paid telemarketer.  What’s your percentage?”  You’d be surprised at the answers.

There are several lists of America’s worst charities.  Here are four: Kids Wish Network, Cancer Fund of America, Children’s Wish Foundation International, and Firefighters Charitable Foundation.  The percentages of funds received but actually spent on aid for these and many others are small—sometimes even zero!  Everything else goes to “administration,” which includes the telemarketers, of course.  You can make your own conclusions.

There’s something sick about self-promotion, from billionaires’ philanthropy to church donations, from names on Harvard lecture halls to food pantries?  Humility seems to be the loser in these cases; rampant egotism the winner.  If you are a charitable person, donate anonymously—but check out the charity.  You don’t want your charitable donation to make sleazebags rich.  And don’t advertise your philanthropy.  Maybe some people with applaud your public expression of narcissism, but I won’t.

***

Rogue Planet is now available for all reviewers on Net Galley.

The Golden Years of Virginia Morgan.  This novel, which is a bridge between the “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series” and the “Clones and Mutants Trilogy,” considers the following question: how will the U.S. government in the future handle all those old people with classified secrets in their head?  This is just a Smashwords sale.  The book will be priced at $0.99 until June 1, reduced from $2.99.  The coupon code is MP45S (type that in when you order—be sure and specify the format you want).  Pass the word to your relatives and friends.

And so it goes….

 

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