"My wish is that everyone can be philanthropic"

The topic of charity, support, sponsorship, and philanthropy can be examined from several points of view. I would like to give an opinion on the issue in terms of communication.

First, I would like to declare that journalism and the organization of the sponsor are incompatible categories. An ethical journalist cannot be a sponsor organizer or a fundraiser.

Second, support policy is public relations and sponsorship is a marketing issue.

We know from public-relations theory that some donors do not expect any compensation. In contrast, in the case of sponsorship, the donor expects some consideration. The donor pays for consideration, like an advertising purpose, and then deducts it from their tax base.

There is a Yiddish term, namely “mitzvah,” that describes a theory which is the same as an opinion of the philosopher Kant: “Always think that if everyone acted like you, humanity could survive!”

We use several terms in connection with it. Among others, the most important is the term philanthropy, which is derived from the Greek words “philos” and “anthropos.” Philos means someone who loves, and Anthropos means humanity. That is why the person who acts in this way is called philanthropic, and their activity is called philanthropy.

Philanthropy can thus be defined as love for humanity. In the case of philanthropy, the reason for donation is that the donor feels an inner spiritual need to support the goals he or she considers important. The philanthropist gives because it is a spiritual compulsion to give to the needy, and not because of their own material interests. For example, tax cuts.

The term “Caritas” was used during the Middle Ages.  Catholics explained this as an act of salvation and escape from purgatory. In the modern age, the term charity wants to mean “love of humanity; good nature.” This definition is used today as “love of mankind.”

Charity and philanthropy are not the same activity. The purpose of the charitable person making the donation is to alleviate a particular social problem, while the philanthropist tries to remedy the root cause of the problem. 

In the case of charity, the donation – mostly in its financial form – can reduce the tax base of the donor. In contrast, a philanthropist does not give his or her donation to reduce their tax base, but because they feel it necessary to be humane. A philanthropic person is someone who donates their time, money, experience, and knowledge to create a better world. Everyone, regardless of their social status or wealth, can be humane.

Methods of donation

The rules are already described in the Bible: 

1. The donor gives face-to-face to the needy. 

2. The donor knows to whom he or she is giving, but the needy does not know from whom he or she received the donation. 

3. In another case, though the needy knows who the donation came from, the donor does not know to whom they gave the donation,

4. When an intermediary enters between the giver and the recipient, it seems to be the clearest that the giver and the needy do not know each other.

The values of philanthropy associate with the concepts of humanism, tolerance, high moral and intellectual example, spiritual development, and the creation of their collective needs at the individual level and that of society. Giving feels good to a philanthropist. 

There is a “mitzvah,” there is a good deed that does not cost money. Everyone can easily donate. This gift is the smile that everyone can give.

My wish is great: everyone can be philanthropic.