It strikes me
as curious and absurd that two of the richest men in the world haven’t attached
their names to any kind of charitable, philanthropic agency/foundation/effort. It
would certainly seem their only agenda is to accumulate more wealth than anyone
else on the planet. Way back when, wealth came in the form of railroads and
oil. Today, it takes on a myriad of forms.
We’ve all read
about these billionaire’s 500-million-dollar yachts, various homes around the
globe, foolish expenditure of money for any number of frivolous toys. But helping
other human beings doesn’t seem to be on any of their radar screens. We now
celebrate billionaires instead of mere millionaires. What the hell is going on
here?
Considering
their collective wisdom to attain such a fortune, how did they all seem to miss
the bigger picture? We remember John D. Rockefeller as being the richest man in
America at the turn of the century because he owned all the oil wells in the
country. But we celebrate Andrew Carnegie because he built several thousand
libraries around the country with his money. Both made the history books, both
were pillars in their own community but only one left an indelible mark on the
American landscape.
Steve Jobs, the
creator of Apple Computer, for whom I have a great deal of respect, didn’t seem
to ‘get it’ until the end of his life. His comments made to the 2005 Stanford
Commencement address seemed to sum it all up:
“Remembering
that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help
me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external
expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure- these things
just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”
Why is it that
so many people admire the rich and famous but can’t see the emptiness of their
lives and accomplishments? That’s certainly not always the case but, it seems,
so often the good gets pushed aside for the glitz and glamor and gold. Worshipping
at the altar of wealth seems so foolish.
While I believe
in the American Dream, I fear there is something missing in that fable of
happiness ever after if wealth accumulation is the only symbol of happiness. I’m
not talking about mandatory tithing or annual charity drives or fund-raisers of
every form and fashion. It’s the idea that sharing one’s good fortune doesn’t
have to break your bank or throw you into poverty. It’s simply lending a
helping hand where and when you can. It’s giving a little of what you have to
someone or something else that doesn’t have as much.
In this country
and around the world, one’s level of wealth is often the social, economic
standard that most Americans use to categorize other folks. It’s often how we
judge other people even though we lie and say we don’t.
In my other
hometown, there have been a number of world-famous figures from the world of
entertainment who have made their mark on this community. Many have stood out
for their philanthropic endeavors, some more than others. One was incredibly
generous with his time, talent and money. His reputation was a sterling example
of what a ‘classy’ person should be like.
The other, just
as wealthy, was known within his circle as the most money-grubbing cheap skate
on the planet. It was so bad, he was a joke even to his ‘closest’ friends. Years
later, the old timers still talk about the two of them. Two towering icons of
entertainment. Both died very rich, one with a legacy of generosity; the other,
a skinflint. Go figure?
As I’ve tried to postulate in past blogs, I’ve read enough obituaries to understand what most folks want to remember about someone else after they’ve passed. It’s seldom their fancy cars or house on a lake. More often than not, it’s family, friends, faith and the ‘little things’ most remembered by others.
The true legacy
of a person’s time here on earth isn’t counted in dollars and cents and
cybercurrency, it’s about how they spent their time and if they were a benefit
to mankind. The pursuit of success doesn’t have to exclude others less
fortunate. We can all be a benefit to and learn from other generations.
Just sayin.
