My idea of what altruism is has evolved over the years. As a kid, I always thought it was give to the poor, donate money to the Salvation Army, help those in need, which it is, but I've gotten a more realistic and practical idea of life as well as the idea of giving to others. It doesn't always have to be money; sometimes it's just a little hint to another person to help them out because you know they've suffered; sometimes it's stopping on the side of the road to help someone having car problems (I've never done this, btw, I know nothing about cars and probably wouldn't be able to help, hopefully I can help in other ways), or a strange one I've developed: if you're playing against a team or an opponent in a game where they real need to win to gain confidence or have some motivation larger than mine, I maybe give them the benefit once in a while, reverse-cheat (let them win). Without letting them know that you took a slight step off the gas pedal, of course.
It's not always about money, but a lot of times the best way to help is money, as much as nobility and moral support help. Recently CNN reported a special education teacher in Dumont, New Jersey named Genevieve Via Cava, died 7 years ago but left in her will that a million dollars would go towards her students at the school for children with learning disabilities. Now that's altruism. First of all, how did she save up a million dollars!? Please tell me her secrets! (the article attributes it to her saving up during her life by leading a frugal life, going to cheap stores, and saving up all her money into the account dedicated for her charity fund). MJ probably doesn't like it, but I find that practice to be very noble and admirable, cheating herself to possibly save others. Especially now that I'm an adult and have to pay bills and manage the budget and whatnot, I realize how much things cost (living is expensive!) and how easy it is to indulge and spend; Ms. Via Cava dedicated her whole life to not spending much just so she had enough money to give to her children after death, something she couldn't enjoy during her life and had no guarantee that after her death would benefit anybody. I really hope now that her attorneys didn't take a significant amount out of her estate and that the estate tax was forgiving on her basically all-charity estate .If ever there was a time to give someone tax breaks or do something pro bono, that would be it.
I used to give money to charities and then one time when I was like 19 years old I think I got ripped off by a local group of teenage girls who were going around asking for donations for a charity, but I'd never heard of the charity but just gave them $20. Later on I questioned whether that money actually went to what it said it did, and that's my worst fear a lot of times is organizations misusing their funds and instead funneling it through themselves. (The worst kind of corruption IMO because that money is supposed to be going to people in desperate need, and the people who gave money now have less money to give to others and are less likely to give now if they find out about misuse of funds).
I also used to donate my time and volunteer at a lot of activities, hoping to make a difference, and I might have, being a human face and interacting with kids in need who needed a friend as well as cleaning up forests, etc., but I find that for most organizations, it's still money that they're after, and money that makes the most difference. I think most charities want volunteers to give their time, understand the organizations' purposes, and then eventually when they "graduate," also give some money to support their cause. Unfortunately, money is what pays for the volunteer programs, the food for homeless shelters, the necessary medical supplies for relief efforts, etc. political lobbying for environmental issues, etc., even paying for some full time staff to do what they do and be able to make a living while doing it. My time is not as valuable if it isn't converted to the cash value. So I try to give some cash each year to different causes and charities that I believe in, and have slacked on doing volunteer work (although from time to time I do). But definitely not a million dollars worth of donations; that is truly altruism at it best. I guess after all the great life events I aspire to having and traveling around the world and having a family and all of that, one of my aspirations is even to have a little money left over for altruism at the end of my life.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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