Giving v.s. Taking

First, the definition of philanthropy is giving to others for a certain cause. In other words, alms or alms-giving. Philanthropy is viewed by many businesses as a great way to strike a good position with the consumer and this generates more income and of course good publicity. This generally starts out as a good and harmless idea created by the company's executives for the purposes already mentioned above. The idea turns malicious when the sole purpose is not to help, but to gain and seem as though it is doing good when in all reality the people behind the idea are profiting more than they should be from a charitable organization or movement. When philanthropic ideas go awry then it leads to greed and the taking from the poor or less fortunate in which the company or individual person(s) are claiming to help.

What is greed? Well, everyone automatically think being a glutton in regards to money or power, and yes it is, but in the sense being discussed, it is taking things, whether tangible or not, that should not be taken or at least not in excessive amounts. The prime examples are money and power. The executives that create nice ways in which they help the less fortunate are really just trying to gain more money, like any company. But, there is a fine line on when to stop your seemingly harmful ways or to continue. It is when this line is crossed that it becomes wrong.

Now I am in full support of the idea of giving and helping others, but I see it as a random act of kindness rather than an income source. People should just help others because it is right, and should not have a deceiving plan behind it. When there is another plan behind these kind acts, then the meaning and morality of them go out the window and there is no meaning. It then becomes just as bad as not even bothering to help.

Not all people have or choose to use their moral conscience, but to those who do, I know it is hard not to try and gain from helping others, but please keep this in the back of your mind next item you donate to a foundation or help someone with some work. People know when someone is trying to get something else that is not mentioned, and they think lower of you and then a bad reputation is spread about how you act. Rumors are then spread and... well... we all know where this is going, so please do kind acts because you want to help and for the feeling of joy it leaves, not for money or power, or anything else!