this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2024
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It's, frankly, more than most billionaires and 100 millionaires do.
Most billionaires are setting up fake charities as tax shelters so they can publicize "Elon musk gave money to the Elon musk charity for fueling billionaire private jets foundation".
You can pretty much pick a billionaire and find that billionaire's charity that does dog shit.
Except for Dolly Parton who apparently didn't get the memo that she's supposed to be scamming :D
https://fortune.com/2022/12/12/elon-musk-gave-5-7-billion-to-charity-last-year-where-it-went-was-a-mystery-until-now/
More than most billionaires is a pathetically low bar to clear. Charities are less efficient than paying taxes to fund proper centralized systems but this way they get to hold on to the majority of their dragon hoard, not meaningfully address most of the cause they donate too, and launder their reputation to people like you that can’t see past the hollow optics.
Umm, ok, Like I agree with you that charities in general tend to be a bad way to solve public problems. But I'm also pointing out that charities rich people tend to contribute to are often even worse than ineffective for addressing public needs.