#trait help

WHAT IS PHILANTHROPY ??

in the basis of everything, philanthropy is the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes. ( thx google-- kisses! ) though the word etymologically means love of humanity. instances of philanthropy often overlap with charity, though not all charity is philanthropy, and vice versa. the difference as we know it is that charity offers a simple solution to the problem, whereas philanthropy offers a solution at the root of the problem. ( feeding a hungry man versus teaching him how to fish. )

GOOD CHARACTER TRAITS ??

well, obvi a label shouldn’t dictate your character’s entire being. your character could be the philanthropist, while being spiteful, intelligent, and boisterous. however, if you were to base their persona around the label, i recommend the following.

POSITIVE:

empathetic

kind-hearted

gentle

patient

generous

optimistic

aaaand.

NEGATIVE:

empathetic ( gimme a minute w/ this one )

timid

sensitive

weak-willed

over-forgiving

naive

i mean, kind of a snooze-fest, right? so spice it up a bit!! your character can be empathetic, or gentle, or sensitive, or naive, but throw in a few surprises! how about someone deeply invested in philanthropy whom gets too impulsive with their donations? don’t be afraid to be different with your characters. what i’m saying is that any traits could work for the philanthropist, except ones that contradict the label in the first place?? idc you do you

EMPATHETIC ??

alright, alright-- how is being empathetic both a positive trait and a negative trait? let me explain. when you are empathetic, you humanize things. if you see a poor dog missing a leg, you might feel sad that he can’t have all four of his legs; even though his existence does not matter in the grand scheme of things. however, when you are empathetic, you understand people and what they’re going through. people generally feel better when others understand their feelings and offer their compassion. it’s a toss up of good and bad. being empathetic often makes you out to be a bleeding heart; dangerously softhearted and being one to give in to emotions to quickly. you also might deal with extreme empathy, feeling the burden of heartache for every little tragedy your eyes come across. most traits are versatile like this, having their own ups and downs. just be reasonable.

BAD SIDES ??

yeah, okay. how can being philanthropic have bad sides? someone has help, you feel good, it’s a win-win, right? wrong. for example, let’s say there’s donations open for some recent tragedy, an earthquake, for example. there’s sick children that need medicine, but people send teddy bears and toys. toys won’t cure your tuberculosis, no matter how soft and cuddly it may be. another downside of it may be learned helplessness. if people are just going to help, why bother learning how to sustain yourself? there’s noticeable favouritism, especially when donating to charities. what’s that? you want to donate to an anti-hunger charity, but you only want to feed the starving children? what about the drug addicts who are trying to do what’s best for their life, but it’s hard when everyone they’ve ever known has given up on them? don’t they deserve food, too? while philanthropy does benefit people, the screaming voices that deny minority groups the right to live nearly outweighs benefits.

a bad side may also be being taken advantage of. for example, jay r. smith, an actor in the our gang shorts, invited a homeless man into his home. that same homeless man stabbed him and left his body in the desert, killing him, as well as using his debit cards to make purchases. people’s philanthropy and general kindness can be taken advantage of, easily. it can even leave you dead !

GOOD SIDES ??

it’s still not all bad, though. studies show that volunteerism (as a form of altruism) and general volunteer work in older adults significantly lowered depression and anxiety, as well as a higher will to live. at the end of the day, helping people is helping people, and it’s generally safe to say people will always be in need. philanthropists drive the world forwards, no matter how small their act may be. delving into philanthropy generally gives you a good name, and who wouldn’t want that ? this world may be a despicable place, but even one person trying to make it better truly helps.

THE PHILANTHROPIST ??