Thursday, October 30, 2008

Why wealthy children are giving their inheritance to charity

The so-called Me Generation is proving, in some cases, not to be quite so self-centred as it's painted. In an article in the Times Online, a number of young people are shown as being far more philanthropic than was expected. And these aren't just young people with a bit of spare cash; in several cases they've been young people who've inherited large amounts of money and have decided to put most or all of it into charitable works. Michael Amherst used the proceeds of the sale of a private school his father had set up to begin funding schools in other countries. Karen Pittelman inherited $3.5 million and has given it away to a foundation for poor women in Boston.
Furthermore, rich parents are beginning to instil in their children the wisdom of giving away most of their inheritances rather than spending them in a dissolute lifestyle.
So, just when you think the world might be going completely to the dogs, it challenges our assumptions.