Comments on: The Language of Philanthropy http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/05/the-language-of-philanthropy Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:12:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Peter Deitz http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/05/the-language-of-philanthropy#comment-3300 Peter Deitz Wed, 07 May 2008 07:07:32 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/05/the-language-of-philanthropy#comment-3300 In my opinion, the idea that anyone with $25 can be a philanthropist is as radical as the notion that anyone with money to spare can be a consumer. The radicalness of this notion depends on time and place. In pre-industrial North America, consumerism was a practice only for the merchant class and nobles. "Everyone a consumer" was a revolutionary idea in the 1840s. We are now so inured to the concept, that we tend to think it's completely natural for anyone with wants and needs to be a consumer. I would hope that at some point soon, it will seem completely natural that anyone with a desire to help others and discretionary income to do so, would be considered a philanthropist. Radical, yes, but also 100% necessary to realize the potential of philanthropy. In my opinion, the idea that anyone with $25 can be a philanthropist is as radical as the notion that anyone with money to spare can be a consumer. The radicalness of this notion depends on time and place.

In pre-industrial North America, consumerism was a practice only for the merchant class and nobles. “Everyone a consumer” was a revolutionary idea in the 1840s.

We are now so inured to the concept, that we tend to think it’s completely natural for anyone with wants and needs to be a consumer.

I would hope that at some point soon, it will seem completely natural that anyone with a desire to help others and discretionary income to do so, would be considered a philanthropist.

Radical, yes, but also 100% necessary to realize the potential of philanthropy.

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