Have you thanked a rich person lately?

Seriously.

This weekend I completed a 1000 mile round trip charity motorcycle ride where myself and 12 others raised in excess of $50k for a large childrens' hospital. When we presented the check to the hospital, they were giving us a tour and some of the background of how the hospital was built. To make a long story short, some mega millionaire / billionaire basically bank rolled the hospital. The guy basically spent like $75 million of his own money to build the hospital. He had a soft spot for children because he was seriously ill as a child, so this was his way of giving back. Even though the guy is now dead, his children have still given tens of millions more in his name for this cause.

The hospital administrator was almost in tears sharing the story of how much this guy has given and changed the lives of thousands of children who have gone through this hospital.

The reason I am posting this is the because it got me thinking about the posters on this forum who constantly bash the rich and advocate for wealth redistribution. These same posters refuse to acknowledge all the good that a lot of the very wealthy do. Yes, there are some greedy bastards, but I think it is both ignorant and short sighted to paint all the wealthy with such a broad brush. The story I presented is not unique.

Many of us do not realize how much some of the very wealthy contribute to various causes. Think about all the universities, hospitals, research, museums, parks, arts & culture, scholarships, etc that are bank rolled by the wealthy. The names you see on buildings, plaques, etc. Government didn't build that...

The point I am making is that in a capitalist economy, the fact that people can get immensely wealthy allows them to contribute to a variety of causes that can make lives better for the public at large. I realize that some leftist / progressives will never be satisfied until everyone is equally broke, but all I'm asking is to look around and acknowledge the good that has been done.

Flame away.

I have no problem with 'rich' people who have made or even inherited their wealth.

What they do with their money is nobody else's business, either perceived good or bad.

The problem I have is with the criminal banksters who intentionally implemented our current, unsustainable, fiat Ponzi scheme economy.

It was designed to bleed the money from the middle class and it is just about mission accomplished.

Those who have used the system to their advantage and accumulated vast amounts of wealth I take my hat off to.

a reply to: Edumakated

Excellent post!

Research how Stanford University Hospital came to be and you will find that similar story.

To those of you, rich and not, who give from the purity of spirit, unconditionally, I send you bright blessings and humble thanks. It really is better to give than to receive. Even if it's a single spare dollar.

S&F for you.

The heart and conscience doesn't always lye with accomplishments.

The wealthy is still the enemy.

What YOU and your homeboys did is more heroic in my eyes than what the wealthy dude did.

a reply to: Edumakated

There's nothing wrong with that, in fact if I do become rich at some point, most of it will go towards making the world a better place.

In the meantime I do what I can with what I have.

a reply to: threeeyesopen

I am a "pay it forward" person. Many are.

a reply to: Edumakated

That wasn't a testament to the value rich people provide to society. That was a testament to that particular person.

a reply to: Edumakated

The rich have donated to various causes since accumulated wealth has been recorded, but to me it is the reasoning behind the benevolence that is what's important. Contributions based on tax breaks or social status is shallow and selfish, whereas donations used in an altruist manners for the betterment of fellow man speaks volumes.

I guess in the end both benefit the whole, and places of medicine and education are possible because of rich donors.
Good on you for your efforts to help others, and to all those that give freely to alleviate others plights.

a reply to: Edumakated

I wonder what this guy's (or now his family's) medical stock portfolio looks like.



So what hospital is this? Who is this guy?

Or are we supposed to love rich people based on one nameless example? The cynic in me is willing to bet he and his family are being handsomely compensated in some way (and I don't mean spiritually).

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Edumakated

Excellent post!

Research how Stanford University Hospital came to be and you will find that similar story.

To those of you, rich and not, who give from the purity of spirit, unconditionally, I send you bright blessings and humble thanks. It really is better to give than to receive. Even if it's a single spare dollar.

S&F for you.

Research Egleston Children's Hospital in Atlanta. Very interesting story about a rich man dedicating an entire hospital to the memory of his mother .

a reply to: Gothmog

Will do. Thanks for the tip!

~beannacht

originally posted by: Ultralight
a reply to: Gothmog

Will do. Thanks for the tip!

~beannacht

And , by the way, the hospital my daughter had open heart surgery at to where she could live to be older than 20. All paid for by those evil , evil Masons........

I've been ass-broke and I've been upper middle class earnings.
One constant I've noticed, is that I'm always broke.
I can live on practically nothing but what the world provides, but what is the point of having money if you aren't spending it?

Nice story.

I still don't have any plans to thank a rich person though.

I don't really see the benevolence in working people to death, but buying them a hospital to compensate. "Sorry you wasted yourself on an uphill treadmill, here have some toxic western medicine. See what a nice person I am? Can they put my name in the area with spotlights?"

That's just how I see it. But hey, my perceptions have been off for a long time.

a reply to: Edumakated

Do you realize how much hospitals make a year? His investement is not charity, it is not annonymous, he will reap what he has sown. Charity is the biggest ego booster and a major SSRI not to mention bragging rites. Think about it why would a hospital need money? Have you ever seen what they charge? Have you ever seen the overpriced litigation that goes through them and insurance? What a joke. F the rich. Noone can prove where that money really goes.. Why not put shelters above the homeless or give millions of dollars of foood all over their state? Cause they want a wing named after them duh. Idiot.

a reply to: Edumakated
It is all about perspective. Some people will look at things through the tainted lenses of their own bias and see things the way they choose to. Some will look beyond their personal bias and see more. No one is perfect and some are not very good at all however accomplishing monetary goals does not generally have a part in what is in those people's hearts. Rich or poor there will always be good and bad. It is what you do with what you have that is important.

Those with hate in their hearts find it easy to lay the blame for their situation on others that are not in the same situation.

a reply to: Gothmog

Everything has a light and a dark component to it.

a reply to: Edumakated

I donated a dollar to the children's hospital.

They told me thanks, every dollar counts.

Did a rich person thank me?

This was a very beautiful post. First off:

This weekend I completed a 1000 mile round trip charity motorcycle ride where myself and 12 others raised in excess of $50k for a large childrens' hospital.

Much respect to you, good soul!

The point I am making is that in a capitalist economy, the fact that people can get immensely wealthy allows them to contribute to a variety of causes that can make lives better for the public at large. I realize that some leftist / progressives will never be satisfied until everyone is equally broke, but all I'm asking is to look around and acknowledge the good that has been done.

There are plenty of wealthy people who do good things in this world to make difference as you wonderfully pointed out throughout your OP. A lot of people are conditioned to believe that nice people finish last, and therefore, assume that if somebody finished first, they must not have a conscious and are greedy conniving selfish people who don't give back. Not all wealthy people act like those from the upper class section of the Titanic.

Many do their work in silence, and if it were not for eye opening experiences such as your tour, many remain unaware of such deeds.

I believe to resent someone who is wealthy is to unconsciously deny oneself from experiencing it for themselves.

There are some who see wealthy persons and are angry towards them simply because they are wealthy. They unfairly define others by their wealth instead of their character. Perhaps, it is because some who are not wealthy define themselves in such a way. They measure their own worth based on materialistic things, or lack thereof. I believe when one is truly happy for another's good fortune (in any form) without "wishing it were me" is one of the ways we silently express love and appreciation.

Those who have an abundance of free time are often the ones who volunteer. Those who work, have a family to raise, and still make the time to volunteer are angels in my eyes.

There is nothing wrong with abundance as long as it was obtained legally. And what one does with their $ is strictly their business.

The reason I am posting this is the because it got me thinking about the posters on this forum who constantly bash the rich and advocate for wealth redistribution

Yet, some people who do so have never distributed their own time to be of service to others. There are people (both rich and middle-class) in this world who will live and die without ONCE volunteering or give back in some way shape and form, yet be the first to whine and moan about selfishness....

originally posted by: Edumakated
I realize that some leftist / progressives will never be satisfied until everyone is equally broke, but all I'm asking is to look around and acknowledge the good that has been done.

Flame away.

You were doing pretty good until this part. You just had to bring your bias into this positive little speech didn't you???

How do you know this Rich Guy wasn't a Progressive/Leftist himself???
Why must all good deeds in your eyes belong to those on the Right???
Why must you drag some kind of scale at all about judging people into such conversations???

I'm sure to you anyone who is progressive or left leaning must be wrong in all they do while just the opposite applies to anyone on the right. This is certainly the pattern with your posts. That elitist mindset will do you more harm than good in the long run whether you believe it or not.