Donating to charity- selfless or selfish?

Is donating to charity such a self-less act?

Quite often we see philanthropists donating to charity.  As I admire what these people do, I will not name them, nor is this article intended to  reprimand or lower the immense contribution of people who donate large sums of money for good causes.

However, when we see billionaires donating a million or two pounds, immediately we all say ‘ what a generous individual. After all, a million or two pounds, roughly three to four million dollars really can make a huge difference in the life of people.

But to that billionaire, is £1,000,000 from their 1,000,000,000 really all that much? A million pounds donated by someone who has exactly one billion is only 0.1% of their wealth. So to the normal individual, although this can seem like a tidy sum, imagine someone worth £100,000 donating £100. Would we jump and call such a person generous? They also donate 0.1% of their profits.

Does generosity mean how much one donates, rather than the proportion they actually donate? The answer to that really depends on the individual.

Religion and charity

If one believes that by giving charity, their sins are forgiven, or that they will get a reward from God, is giving charity in that regard truly self-less? At best, is it not a long-term investment?

For instance, if I give charity under the pretext I want my sins forgiven, I really am buying myself out of torture or punishment as a consequence of my sins, rather than helping others. Even if I give charity to help people but have this belief, are my actions truly self-less?

Does the atheist who donates to charity without a belief they will obtain a heavenly reward or that their monetary funds can be exchanged as a ransom for their punishment have nobler reason to donate to charity?

Public charitable donations

When celebrities and famous icons, or everyday citizens publically profess or donate to charity, is such an act truly selfless?

For instance, when popstars donate to charity, it comes as headline news. This in turn generates interest in the celebrity, wins them more fans, and probably increases the celebrities profitability and appeal. Would it be more noble for the celebrity to donate ‘annonymously’? Or does the celebrity encourage others to donate by also donating publically?

In the Islamic religion, charity is considered to garner a greater significance when it is given in secret.

Does it even matter if something is self-less?

Perhaps it does not matter if there are other reasons to why one decides to donate. Perhaps having an element of self-lessens is the most important thing, and making a contribution proportionate to what you can do.

Just as we are on the topic of charity, you can donate something right now, but it won’t be money, it will be time.

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