David Roth｜Philanthropy is a Form of Practicing Genuine Altruism
Date：2021-09-27
Source: China-Europe-America Wechat Official Account
(Click to Watch Video)
Board of Trustees of China-Europe-America Global Initiative, CEO of Wakaya, David Roth's Speech
Greetings once again. Soon, hopefully we will all be able to be together for one of these extraordinary conversations. But again, now I am honored to be virtually with you to discuss the subject that is extraordinarily dear to my heart and important to each of us, philanthropy. Philanthropy is truly what helps bind us all together as humans, whether we are in Shanghai, or in New York, or in Paris, or in Morocco, or anywhere else on earth.
The true focus of philanthropy and the meaning, the definitions of philanthropy relate to what it is that we can do as individuals to take care of others. Every religious tradition focuses significantly upon philanthropy. It doesn't matter whether you read the Bible, or the Torah, or the Koran, or any other religious text. There is so much, so many of the guiding principles relate to giving, giving of your time, giving of your resources, giving of your energies, giving of your money to others. That is what philanthropy is about. And in many ways, global philanthropy helps to solve some of the problems that have been perennial in our world, and that have not been able to be solved by governments, or corporations, or other organizations, because truly, there is no profit motive in philanthropy.
Philanthropy is about what we can do, each of us, individually, me here, you as you gather to listen to this wherever you are, what can you do to take care of someone else, or a group of other people, or a school, or a museum, or a university, or a healthcare center, what can you do, what can you give. And each of us, I believe, on a daily basis, must be able to answer that question profoundly, what am I able to give, not necessarily what am I happily always willing to give, but what am I able to give?
In fact, as many of you, I'm sure, know Aristotle wrote about philanthropy in terms of true altruism. Altruism doesn't want any benefit. Altruism doesn't want any credit. The true altruist does for others, because he or she is driven to do that.
Now clearly, in our world, there are benefits that come from philanthropy, whether it is in terms of reputation, or in terms of tax credits, or in terms of multiple other ways that people can benefit, and that is good and that is fine. But at its heart, the philanthropic endeavor and why we are all here today is to talk about what we can each do more than we have been doing to solve those problems that have not been solved, but that need and deserve solving.
So, thanks again for coming together today to talk about something so important. I applaud all the work you're doing, and again, look forward to being with you in person soon. But for now, thanks again. Have a great day.
