all your supporting points for "philanthropy bad" are also supporting points for "being philanthropists benefits rich people more than being billionaires does", and therefore supporting points for "philanthropy is neither ideal nor a solution, but from a harm-reduction perspective, we should encourage it anyway, especially when doing so helps ensure change will stick"
like, to quote Wikipedia,
Andrew Carnegie[,] one of the richest Americans in history[,] became a leading philanthropist in the United States, Great Britain, and the British Empire. During the last 18 years of his life, he gave away around $350 million (equivalent to $10.9 billion in 2024), almost 90 percent of his fortune, to charities, foundations and universities.[6] His 1889 article proclaiming "The Gospel of Wealth" called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, expressed support for progressive taxation and an estate tax, and stimulated a wave of philanthropy.
Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy, with special emphasis on building local libraries, working for world peace, education, and scientific research. He funded Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Peace Palace in The Hague, founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Carnegie Hero Fund, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, among others.
that's a shitton of institutions that have done a great deal of good, which, yes, could have come into being without being funded by a guy who preferred his name on buildings to his head on a pike, I suppose, but
and like, to quote @oudenonoma,
There is a Jewish story about a wealthy man who came to his rabbi and said “I have decided to build an orphanage, can you put me in touch with the relevant people”
The rabbi was delighted to do it, and introduced the man to some charities. After a few weeks, the man came back to the rabbi.
“I have decided not to build the orphanage,” he said. “I realised that I was only doing it because I wanted to be admired as a philanthropist, my motives were selfish.”
The rabbi answered, “do you think the orphans will care what your motives were? Build the orphanage!”
snowghoul
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2087
izzy806
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