Celebrity Humanitarianism

[Sagefrakrobatik]

So did you know that Leonardo Dicaprio is narrating a film about Global Warming, George Clooney is starting his own NGO to fight global poverty, and Brad and Angelina are fighting AIDs in Africa and the genocide in Darfur? Isnt that amazing? Isnt that INSPIRATIONAL? No, but seriously do you think these celebrities make a real difference or is it just a wise, and calcuated public relations stunt. I mean are we supposed to be impress that Angelina Jolie donates $1 million even though she makes 20 times that amount per movie. When the press gives these actors coverage they always say that they are raising awareness of the problems in Africa. Raising awareness? Almost everything the news covers in Africa is negative so i dont know the point the media is trying to make.

 

[Dale_M]

I guess I am not bothered by their actions. Celebrities, like all of us, experience the same basic human desire to make a positive difference in the world. We can question whether they are using their resources in the best way possible, but I don’t see any reason to judge their motives.

 

[Starwynd]

Well, gee, one million dollars is a hell of a lot more than ten or twenty five dollars. That’s a hell of a lot of mouths to feed.

Oh wait, they have to give up everything they own for the poor in order to enter heaven.

So sayeth the televangelist wearing a thousand dollar suit.

 

[ribozyme]

So did you know that Leonardo Dicaprio is narrating a film about Global Warming, George Clooney is starting his own NGO to fight global poverty, and Brad and Angelina are fighting AIDs in Africa and the genocide in Darfur? Isnt that amazing? Isnt that INSPIRATIONAL? No, but seriously do you think these celebrities make a real difference or is it just a wise, and calcuated public relations stunt. I mean are we supposed to be impress that Angelina Jolie donates $1 million even though she makes 20 times that amount per movie. When the press gives these actors coverage they always say that they are raising awareness of the problems in Africa. Raising awareness? Almost everything the news covers in Africa is negative so i dont know the point the media is trying to make.

I do notice there is an issue with conspicious charity; I do think there are some exceptions such as George Soros who gives an large percentage of his fortunate (more than the aforementioned people) and before he was well-known as the man who broke the Bank of England.

I’m not doing my philanthropic work, out of any kind of guilt, or any need to create good public relations. I’m doing it because I can afford to do it, and I believe in it.

Soros firmly believes in promoting open society after being enthralled by Karl Popper and did not obtain this fervor after becoming wealthy.

 

[Sagefrakrobatik]

I do notice there is an issue with conspicious charity; I do think there are some exceptions such as George Soros who gives an large percentage of his fortunate (more than the aforementioned people) and before he was well-known as the man who broke the Bank of England.

Soros firmly believes in promoting open society after being enthralled by Karl Popper and did not obtain this fervor after becoming wealthy.

I see what your saying. I think that Bill gates is geniune in his philantrhopic intitatives. He not only spends millions of dollars, but he also tries to educate himself about the issues. I remeber reading an article where it talked about how Gates would read medical encylopedias so that he could be asses the health of African citizens and how to best solve those problems. I also heard that he would give talks to other billionaires and encourage them to give. Thats what got Warren Buffet hooked.