ATDTDA (2): "Hell, send it on to me" (32)

[Tim Strzechowski]

A couple of links in reference to the brilliantly ironic conversation between Ray Ipsow and Scarsdale Vibe on p. 32:


Philanthropy:

Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective. In a more fundamental sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity which is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. Someone who is well known for practicing philanthropy may sometimes be called a philanthropist. Although such individuals are often very wealthy, people may nevertheless perform philanthropic acts without possessing great wealth. Some notable philanthropists are Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Gates.

[...]

Philanthropy is not always viewed as a universal good. Notable thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche and Ayn Rand [citation needed] opposed philanthropy on philosophical grounds, connecting it with the idea of the weak sponging off the strong, a view sometimes endorsed by those who oppose government welfare programs.

The purpose of philanthropy is also debated. Some equate philanthropy with benevolence and charity for the poor and needy. Others hold that philanthropy can be any altruistic giving towards any kind of social need that is not served, underserved, or perceived as unserved or underserved by the market.

Some believe that philanthropy can be a means to build community by growing community funds and giving vehicles. When communities see themselves as being resource rich instead of asset poor, the community is in a better place to solve community problems.

Philanthropy responds to either present or future needs. The charitable response to an impending disaster is an essential function of philanthropy. It offers immediate honor for the philanthropist, yet requires no foresight. Responding to future needs, however, draws on the donor's foresight and wisdom, but seldom recognizes the donor. Prevention of future needs will often avert far more hardship than a response after the fact. For example, the charities responding to starvation from overpopulation in Africa are afforded swift recognition. Meanwhile, philanthropists behind the U.S. population movement of the 1960s and 1970s were never recognized, and are lost to history. [...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philanthropy


Socialism

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control.[1] This control may be either direct—exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils—or indirect—exercised on behalf of the people by the state. As an economic system, socialism is often characterized by state or community ownership of the means of production.

The modern socialist movement had its origin largely in the working class movement of the late-19th century. In this period, the term "socialism" was first used in connection with European social critics who criticized capitalism and private property. For Karl Marx, who helped establish and define the modern socialist movement, socialism implied the abolition of money, markets, capital, and labor as a commodity. [...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism