Alrighty, helmet is on and fire suit is zipped up, so here I go. The thread on 'The Secret Millionaire' talks about the rich sharing what they have. I'm all for that, should they choose to do so. However, why should someone who either has more than I do or make more than I do feel obligated to "give back" to society if they earned it fair and square?

When I watched the show, I saw the couple from Louisiana. Corrections are welcome, but did this family not hire a nanny, people to do their grocery shopping, a makeup artist and/or hair stylist? Isn't that part of giving back? They are creating jobs in this country which give people experience who are then free to move on to other employers to earn more money based on their previous experience.

That particular millionaire came up with a business plan, was told he would fail and made his dream work. My goodness, what's not to admire in that scenario and why should he be made to feel that he should share the money he has earned?

I guess I just have issues on the term 'give back' when it comes to money. If you didn't earn it, then I guess you stole and in that case, yeah, I think it should be returned to the rightful owner.

Let the games begin............

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I want to keep ALL of my paycheck and eliminate the pyramid scheme known as Social Security (there is no lockbox ). Do you want the same thing? www.fairtax.org

While I see your point about hiring the employees - that is IMHO not charity that is employment. No one has to share anything they earned I would assume that they did so out of the goodness of theri hearts.

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Laura
Please visit my blog
http://mylifeinlaurasworld.blogspot.com/

I also don't get the mentality that assumes/demands that anyone who has a lot should feel obligated to share it and/or feel bad if they don't. Plenty of people feel that those who are well off "owe" it to those who are not. Bunch of baloney....

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I did not see this show, wish I had. I would like to comment on this thread, tho.

I think philanthropy should be from the heart, as well, and not forced upon someone or demanded of someone. If someone with "more" wants to share that, fine. If not, that is their choice. I think everyone should give a little, but it is a very personal decision. And, who defines "rich" and "well off"???? It is open to interpretation, IMO.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

In my personal experience, we have a relative (MIL) who inherited over a quarter million dollars as did another relative. The other relative helped her grown children (paid college tuitions, helped pay daughter's adoption process, etc.) and basically used most of her money on her family (after paying off her own mortage). On the other hand, my MIL (who is in her 80's) put all of it in the bank, won't spend a nickel, complains to us all the time about 'not having any money' and how hard times are, and actually accepted $100 from a relative last week who thinks she's 'poor'. (She told no one but us about the inheritance). She laughed when I told her she should give that $100 to someone who needs it. Her response "I can use it."

I agree that it's her money and she can do what she pleases with it. But I see the other relative who is so happy all the time, so patient, so giving and then I see my MIL, who does nothing but complain.

I don't think that "give back" actually means giving to the generally less fortunate population (although I think it's kind).

But if Warren Buffet once attended a small town school that hasn't fixed their roof in 25 years because of lack of funding, then I think "giving back" to that school is something I'd expect him to consider. In fact, I'd think he was a creep if I knew that he knew of his alma mater's current conditions, and did nothing to improve it.

I, personally, wouldn't really be happy with my (imaginary, for now) gobs of money if I wasn't being generous with it. And by generous, I mean donating to charities that I researched, or providing scholarships to kids that would otherwise have no means of attending college, etc.

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"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

I'll agree to disagree with you, devinmom.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I almost think it is our responsibility (closest word I could come up with) to give back in some way. I feel that when people are blessed be it with money, knowledge, talent, or whatever that we should spread the blessing. That having been said I do think hiring people is giving back, not charity but giving someone else an opportunity. Giving back can be anything from giving away money and items to opening a company in a place where people have no jobs to giving motivational talks to people who need them.
As human beings not only should we "give back" for the warm fuzzy feeling it gives but also because when you give you get back much more in many ways than the receivers of what you give.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Annadrose I totally agree with you on all you said. Its does give you a warm and fuzzy feeling to give back . Personally If I had milliions there would be so many things I would do. I would first built one of the largest loving aids hospice home care facility. I would give each patient anything they wanted and probably it would be the simplest things they would ask for . I also would built a huge farm to house so many neglected and homeless pets and give them a loving place to be to rome free, to have enough food to eat. I also would visit hospitals and hand out toys to sick children. If I knew that someone was truly struggling with their live I would offer to help them in anyway I could. So while its a personal choice what to do with your money, its also a wonderful thing to spread and share the wealth, afterall you cannot take it with you Finally the most important things in life are free. Without your family and your health you have nothing, sadly today we live much to much in a materialistic world.... Peace in this holiday season. Catherine

It must be a warm and fuzzy feeling to give 3 negatives within 10 days.

Such a great example !

Thanks !

dl

NO its not a nice warm fuzzy feeling, however I pose a question to you, how does it feel to walk in my shoes and continually get harrassed and my name trashed all over, its does not feel warm and fuzzy, its down right hurtful. You DL did this to yourself and are making a fool of yourself by continuing to post under any thread I may post into. I am sure other members here do not appreciate all what you are doing is causing trouble, which dl you started and I finished with the 3 bad reps... Catherine

I have received no less than 5 positive reps for my post.

Each was from different person.

dl

Personally I think that each person should give back to whatever level their heart leads them. The question posed here was whether they are obligated to give back and whether their gifts to society could be viewed in different ways then plunking over money to charities. And I agree that if a person build a business that gives back to society through offering employment opportunities or employs people to cover various services that that has a positive impact on their community and is a gift in and of itself.

What I was saying was that just because some "has", others should not feel that they should have to share it or consider them greedy or a creep for not sharing it in the way that you think that should. For one, I don't think anyone really knows how a person gives back...just because they don't give to your cause A, doesn't mean they aren't doing something with B, C, and D that you're not aware of.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

FYI, I believe it's on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:00. My channel here is 29, but I don't know what channel it is for other areas.

I think it's 6