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We all get used to the idea that sharing with people who have less is good. Particularly, I think so as well and often donate money when I have a possibility. For example, I have once donated to support building a school in a mountain village in Nepal. However, I have never tried to find out if the school was built in reality. I don`t  know if it is irresponsible or not.  But I have a feeling that many people act in a similar way. In result, charity turns into a kind of apologize. However,  this apologize is like empty - because people continue to live their everyday lives and do not care about wars, ecology, or any other global problems, which do not affect them personally. Sometimes, it seems that charity makes people even more careless because it creates an illusion of compassion. Like - I have made a donation, so now I can sleep well.

So, is charity good or not? Or probably we should make an independent decision in each case of donating money, without going deep inside into the idea of charity itself?

Not sure If my number is correct or not... All these so called charities keep 60% of the income (they call donation) to run the administration and 40% goes to the needy. I have seem people register charity for their own profit, they use it to turn their black money into white. So, most of the charities are indeed a business institutions IMO.

I used to have a direct debit with a child care organisation. They used to sent me these expensive cards every month just to keep me informed about their activities which was quite unnecessary. It's basically their marketing policy. Go and see they have the top paid marketing personals too look after their charity. Why? Coz the best one will bring best business. It's all business.

The best I think is... Cut off these middle men (the charities), deal hand to hand meaning - if are generous enough then pick up the unfortunate person next to you and do something for him/her or their family so that this makes a permanent change in their lifestyle. Avoid these registered charities.

That is the point! It is always better to avoid mediators because certainly many organizations just use charity for covering some black business. Nevertheless, people in western society seem to be so isolated that it seems like we need those mediators - otherwise you would not even get know that some of the people nearby may have serious problems, 

I still believe that a third-party (not all of them) can be trusted to handle our money for their programs to helps the needy. There's a lot of foundations that I know trustable enough to handle the money that I donated and to help the people in needs, at least in my country. Of course, there's also a lot of fake/scam charity foundation that uses people kindness to take their money away for their own benefits.

Personally, when I did a charity, I always watch the progress of the foundation that I donated too. Most of the good people (and much better people than myself) I know did this too. Not only that, some of them even take part in the foundation programs itself, helping them not only by money but also by their body. I guess you do have a point by pointing out how charity makes someone feels "much better", but I guess this does not happen to everyone out there.

Thank you for interesting discussion! I think that it is necessary to help those who really need it. Moreover,  it is necessary not to them, but to ourselves. You can look at the relevant discussion on TED portal - https://www.ted.com/topics/philanthropy

i have seen similar topic before, but all i have to say is that charity is done from the heart, and also you give because you have no use to that particular thing you are giving out or you find the other person more in need of what you have.
Charity will always be good as long as you help those around you not an imaginary havoc place.
If you truly want to help those in war, go to the proper channel for donation. If it require that you go to the affected area or to refugee camp to render help please do but stay out of trouble. In this way you will know the through need of the people and donate appropriately.
Sometimes the media are good at fabricating stories just to suit them and act relevant.         

You can see how specific charities allocate their funds here...

https://www.charitynavigator.org/

I think charity is very good, it would be better if we do it starting from our own environment. Because the environment is the place where we and our families grow and flourish, so we must help everyone who is lacking or needy. If any particular charity is willing to allocate funds, we will accept it and also help him as much as we can. therefore for the common good.

And yes having a charitable nature can be good but it would be really wonderful if we empowered people so that less charity is actually required.

valid idea, but then most people don't want to be empowered or should i say don't deserve to be empowered, they just prefer to live by begging other. so sad 

I don't know what you think makes a person "deserve to be empowered" but I think every living creature deserves the opportunity of empowerment.

There are some practices where being without belongings and relying on the gifts of others to survive is a noble act.

Giving can be rewarding.
But nobody likes being Taken ;-)

Charity, this is certainly good, I fully support this, but if you think about it, all the money for charity should be directed only to the treatment of people with serious illnesses, those people who are all fine with health, but they just do not have a home, in the future can not achieve anything, they will take everything for granted, there are certainly normal examples, but many then simply slide into the niche, because they do not know what and how to do, and how to either strive. If I can participate in charity when I can, I will definitely do it..

Charity is already a duty for us especially for people who have abundant wealth, our charity and worship we do not need to be told and diumbar in front of others because it can reduce the reward that we can.

In my opinion only a few things in life are abused on the same level as the notion of charity. Let me explain.

Real charity is good. The kind of charity that accepts donations in the name of charity and use it for the intended purpose.

Charity in name only is bad. The kind of charity that accepts donations in the name of charity and don't use it for the intended purpose.

I feel it is important to make sure that donations are used for the intended purpose - in order to give real charity a fighting chance. If we only donate to look good in the eyes of others or to cater to our conscience, then we're not doing it the right way.

In addition, it serves us best to remember that charity should always start at home. 

Charity is to be done wholeheartedly, and we should try to make the lives of those who are less unfortunate to be better so that they could have more comfort in their lives.

Charity are for people who are rich.

I want to be rich, so that I can do charity  too... Hahaha!

Big plus for your words!
Yep, it will do rich people
Because other people need money for themselves. And it's too hard to survive in this days
And it's a stupid situation when some companies say "1 cent from each pack of the product will go to charity". But these companies include this cent in the price. And we have that common person pay and have nothing, only moral feelings. And big companies take a part in charity and get fewer taxes.

Thank you for sharing your ideas, they gave me a food for thought.  All in all, I decided - no "spontaneous donations"; the best option for me is to give money to small projects on crowdfunding because I may talk with those people via social networks and ask them questions that arise and keep tracking the process.

Although I realize why people say that charity should start at home, I think it's good to choose projects from other countries if you feel that its values and goals match with yours.

As for  "Charity are for people who are rich" - it sounds very rational, but if you can not share money - you may give your time, work,  or care for the people who are around. Personally, I realized that small attention also means a lot, especially in big cities where people are often indifferent.

With "charity should start at home," one's own family should come first and then the rest. It is not to say that one should choose projects in one's own country first. Thus, first family and then projects and the rest. 8)

Charity is perhaps the biggest act of goodness you can make for a human being, but I strongly believe every problem is like a tree we need to take care of it's roots, seeing it in a broader way we must understand what is happening in order to destroy the problem, why are there a continuous growing of homeless people? Of fatherless children? Charity becomes selfish when we don't look to understand what's going on that is leaving so many people in such a life of suffering.
It's like "I'm good with giving you food once in a while and I'm satisfied, self-accomplished". We need to dig deeper in order to help way more people and more efficiently!

as long as I give respect to everyone who gives charity in this world, and I appreciate your deeds Nick  :), at least it can make your heart comfortable after doing charity, I think nothing is useless as long as it's right on target. maybe you can do a charity in another way, for me it doesnt have to be material but also good deeds to the environment and nature

I strive to increase my capital to give a part of what I earned to the poor and to orphanages. And also, if possible, to create a platform of charity, launch an ICO and release your cryptocurrency. The greater the growth of the cryptocurrency, the more it will be possible to give to the poor.

To my own opinion, i'll say that you should go ahead with the charity attitude. Reasons being that it will take nothing more than it has from you since it's your decision. Just do it for concsience sake, then if it's in thy power to follow it up - you follow it up.

Most are not good, they're often used for money laundering and tax purposes as well. I also think it's better to pay for good service and products to keep the economy going, on top of rules to prevent monopolies from lobbying, rather than hand out money.

charities are obviously a good way to help the needy (but verify how funds are used).

i donate here and there to charities i find worthy, and my church is involved in many local charities. i like that way more than the national mega charities as churches tend to help local communities with problems local to the area. it also builds up relationships with that community.

personally helping directly with charities, as in volunteering your time to food pantries, soup kitchens etc is a personally rewarding experience. money is great but hands on labor is a good way to help your community as you directly see how it is helping and touching families lives, as well as gain knowledge on what is needed, what is not, what can be improved. and many idea presented by volunteers in the field to better utilize resources and what further directions to go have made it even better.

back before huge government handouts churches handled helping much of the disadvantaged, it seemed to work well then.

In doing their bit for those poor, philanthropy additionally strengthens an order of need, as in don't gripe about your part, in light of the fact that there is dependably somebody more terrible off than you. The south London grade school my child used to go to used to raise very generous totals for Save the Children, when I realized that there were a few children in that school who didn't have shoes that fitted them, warm winter coats and lived in sub-standard lodging. Exceptionally commendable, I assume, yet it made influence me to feel that there was a message that you ought to be thankful for what you have.

charity is good. If I have a lot of money, besides myself, I will give some for charity. There are many charity foundation that we can give, and they will distribute to people who are deficient. Whether the money is used or given to people who should not accept or not, I do not care, the important thing is that I have done charity. because all the money we have is impossible to only be used for ourselves, we also have to see the people around us who are lacking.
I will not be poor just because of charity. or if I doubt the charity foundation, I can give directly to those in need.

In the simplest way, charity is a noble act, helping people and providing comfort to the less fortunate.
Though, some people do take advantage of this, in particular the rich because as it happens charitable contribution is excluded from tax, and this leaves plenty of room for tax evasion while at the same time you look rather innocent.

I think it's very right to help people in need! People who suffered from cataclysms or wars. Or simply not in the making allow yourself what you can afford!

Honestly, I don't like using the word "Charity" when I share something with the less fortunate person. it can be financial, moral support or anything etc so that other person can get up on his/her feet again.
life is too short for this fake "feel good" feeling. I tend to avoid this emotion but sometimes it gets you due to human nature but only for short time of period.

There is saying in India which sums it all if you sharing or helping someone in need. I try my best to follow this :
   
                                     Neki kar dariya mein daal

                                 Do good and put it in the river

This is a harder question than I initially came across. In trying to answer this no bs, I discovered a lot about my tendency to give. I think of myself as a charitable person, yet  I don't donate more than a specific amount for any cause. Im inclined to root for the cause and donate little. A part of it, I think is I make its easy to forget, so that I am as willing to donate the next offer. I don't want to feel like I am donating too much, or it makes me want to donate less. All my thinking is ruled by the amount of money on average I carry on me. If I had more I would throw this out the window, and donate to what percentage effect my donation should make on the end goal. I would be more choosy, and knowledgeable in what I am looking to help with.

Helping people is admirable and I wish more people had the same ideas but as it happens the world is the way it is and we're greedy. If only we all looked after the people in need around us and offer a helping hand the world might be a better place...but that just won't happen because we're just humans.

As long as it is a formal charity, I am willing to donate to him, but it must be recognized by the public, because many despicable people now use charity to swindle money!

I think the world needs more charities, because there are still many people who need help. When I meet these people who need help, I am very willing to donate a certain amount of money to them!

I think that charity is necessary and it is wonderful when people without a request transfer their money to help poor and sick people.
Inequality prevails in the world and it has always been 1% of the world's population owns 99% of the money in the world. Transferring money to help someone the main thing that it came from your soul, without feeling regret and a sense of greed because this you help the needy.

Charity is much needed in the third world county as it will maintain necessary provision and bridge out help between govt and private sect, well off individuals to the needy/poor.

Depends heavily on the charity, what they are doing, and the operational management of said charity.

Not all charities are equal, and not all charities are fair. Before donating, look into them. Know where your money is going, otherwise it can be irresponsible.

if i had a significant amount to give away i would not be handing it over to a charity. i'd go find something important and make it happen directly myself.

big charities are now big business. check some of the benefits they hand out to entice executives. they'll say they need that to attract the right people. fine. my money is not paying for some asshole's business class seat. he can go back to wall st.

some are of course much better than others. i still don't like the idea of any money being soaked up in pensions and offices.

Base on your statement, Donations may be advantage or disadvantage at all. In advantage, as a donator you will think that your money may help them to make their life better but as to consider your concern that talks about disadvantage, you also might helping them to be lazy or you can also say that you are helping to be dependent person which is wrong.

I think that charity is something I share with you what you need and maybe you or someone else shares me what I need. Maybe you are rich and me too, but both you and I need is something that can't buy with money. Is that right? Maybe what you need is also what I need, so I do not give away but I am willing to share with you. Living on life, what we really need is a heart. That heart is to be willing to share, not just to be ready to give away

keep thinking positively in charity, because actually if we have the intention to do good deeds so we also will get good reply, for the problem of realization of charity it is up to who processes it, if it is only false charity, they will certainly sin

I think charity is one thing that can make the world a better place if properly done.I will suggest we make it a way of empowering the less privilege instead of using it as a way of just feeding and clothing the less privilege. What about having charity initiative on blockchain maybe that will help to eradicate corruption existing within the organisation.

Did you know that many people use charities as a pure way to save money. How? If you donate some of your money to charity then you do your tax you can claim half of it back. Isn't that something.

I think charities are not really helpful for those who are in real need. It is just a front of those who wants to have a huge income as those charities' donations are not being fully donated onto needy. They keep a huge part for themselves and the team who managed their so called "charity" leaving only the fact that it is another option of stealing from the community.

It is a good thing to know the end product of one's donation, it brings a however if we continue to have these bad feelings as touching the usage of what we donate, we may end up not giving at all. Like a member mentioned already, let's look inward and around and attend to that person who is deeply in need before sending help through charity to someone miles away.