Sunday, July 4, 2010

Ambani charity - oxymoron.

It is strange, when people topping the Forbes top 5 rich list from the land of honey and whatever are doing as much for charity while the names of the ones from India figuring in the same top 5 list are to be hardly found anywhere near charity. 
What does the Ambanis plan to do with all that money?

On the other hand, when reading the first few pages of maximum city where I read something that I have only read/heard many times before and have been annoyed all those times at the writer/speaker, that how in Mumbai it is disgusting that at one side you find all these riches - the tall skyscrapers, the BMWs and at the same time the slums and people without any basic amenities - it annoyed me because it is no different from a part of the world living in excess and while other part lives in heart numbing poverty. Just like the people in new york dont really worry about the poverty in Africa, it is the same in Mumbai. The rich in New york aren't any less guilty than the ones in Mumbai, no?

Besides, if some one doesn't really feel like giving away for charity, there isn't any obligation, isn't it? It is their hard earned money - they can do what they want. Or so I thought. 

But as heart warms every time I read Bill gates tweet or the news that Warren buffet gave away one more installment of his money - it does make me judge the people back home. All that money and not a mentionable charity act?  It sounds disgusting now.

Ps: People who want to comment how do I know if they aren't secretly involved in charity, stay away. Seriously!

7 comments:

  1. Ya seriously :--(
    Humanity and empathy are really fading off and in their place are selfishness and capitalism.
    I am not saying we should be communist, but we should give opportunity for people to develop and grow.

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  2. look. to give charity and be involved in philanthropy is an individuals choice. but what I would like to say is, dont stretch your comparison to NYC and africa. even within NYC one has pockets which reek of poverty. just that there are ppl who never showcase it and as tourists we are obsessed about the good things in NYC.

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  3. @SK,
    Capitalism is still OK, as long as people make money and donate it..

    Shame on the them!! To be frank, at the cost of generalising and stereotyping, I have found our makkal donating far less and I attribute it to the saving mentality that is imbibed into us from childhood. My two cents.

    @Viswajith,
    Poverty, crime in NYC is also showcased in many movies. Yes, I agree that to be charitable is an individual's choice , well... in a land of relative good and bad, IMHO,we consider people who are uncharitable as , for the lack of a better word, "not worthy".

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  4. Charity begins at home. Since, I am hardly anything but charitable to anyone, I will refrain from commenting.

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  5. SK: In this particular i doubt if it is the case of times though.
    Viswajith.k.n: umm.."philanthropy is an individuals choice." every act of us is our choice and we cant complain till it doesnt do any one any harm .. so yes it isnt a punishable crime... but ...but.. i still judge the ambanis nevertheless as a human being. they are quite ugly that way.

    no disagreements on nyc anyway. My point is, it isnt fault of the rich people in these cities that they are rich - coz thats what these statements abt mumbai indicate.

    Shoba: not entirely convinced abt the correlation between saving and charity, one can save very well and donate as well..an indian in us can easily donate upto 50k without denting her pocket but may be our donations has been more in terms of materials based on community than monetary.

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  6. Kaushik: there is a difference btw you and ambani - slight :) but there is.

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  7. Ya there is difference.

    But how much money is too much money before you become *obligated* to do charity?

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