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Charity/Philanthropy

Altruism

Which means, the placing of others above self, of their interests above one's own. 


“The man who speaks to you of sacrifices, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.”

   --  Ayn Rand



“Why is it moral to serve the happyness of others, but not your own? If enjoyment is a value, why is it moral when experienced by others, but immoral when experienced by you?”

   --  Ayn Rand


Impossible to measure benefit of altruism


“Your standard of virtue is not an object, not an act, not a principle, but an intention. You need no proof, no reasons, no success, you need not achieve in fact the good of others- all you need to know is that your motive was the good of others, not your own. You only definition of the good is a negation: the good is the non-good for me.”

   --  Ayn Rand

What altruism implies


“It is immoral to live by your own effort, but moral to live by the effort of others”

   --  Ayn Rand

Nature of charity


“I owe nothing to my brothers, nor do I gather debts from them.”

   --  Ayn Rand

Government Charity

Government charity is what Frédéric Bastiat called "False philanthropy". Giving away what is not theirs.

Corporate Charity

Corporate charity/philanthropy is nothing of the sort. You cannot be charitable with money that is not yours to give away.
When corporates give money away on behalf of their shareholders they might as well have ripped the money directly out of the shareholders wallets against their will.
The idea that “corporate social responsibility” must offset the profit motive is ludicrous. The profit motive is benign at worst and necessary to our survival.

Personal charity


Virtue and charity


"Without a doubt, morality and religion make it a duty for men, especially the rich, to deprive themselves voluntarily of that which they possess, in favour of their less fortunate brethren. But this is an entirely moral obligation. If it were to be asserted on principle, admitted in practice, or sanctioned by law, that every man has a right to the property of another, the gift would have no merit--charity and gratitude would be no longer virtues. "

   --  Frédéric Bastiat

Limits of charity


“Men have been taught that the highest virtue is not to acheive but to give. Yet no-one can give what has not been created. Creation comes before distribution- or there will be nothing to distribute.”

   --  Ayn Rand

Links

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22245601 (where does charity money go)

Reference



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