In LA Times’ op-ed Cheapskate Billionaires, Gregg Easterbrook argued the super-rich greatly prefer status and power over giving, “life’s most pleasurable act,” which made me wonder if he’d ever donated or had sex.
He has a point, the rich—and many of the rest of us—are greedy and power hungry. But, he’s criticizing the wrong group. Charities compete for customers, or donors, in the same market as businesses providing experiences of power and opulence.
The charities are providing a product everyone agrees should be in greater demand than competitors, but is not. The first suspects are the consumers, all cruel tyrants who find no pleasure giving. Or it may be the product, purchasers have already tried or analyzed it and found it lacking. Or the marketing may not inform them.
All are at fault. But, most importantly, the product is lacking. If the billionaires gave it all away tomorrow, I don’t think much would improve. Too many scandals, poor performers, bad ideas, and just plain too many.