Giving (a shit) by the rich

Last week I applauded the decision of some disgustingly rich people in the United States to give half of their huge brolly collections to the poor. Oh the hardship these philanthropic exemplars will feel as they age and it starts raining and they only have 2 billion brollies to choose from instead of 4 billion. (And it is one thing saying that you will hand over these headline grabbing quantities of gamps and actually doing it. Anyone can say they will do something, garner the attendant positive glow of publicity and then quietly not do it when the fuss dies down. There is no accountability for it, no one will check when you die, and even if they do, so what?)

Anyway, I suggested that more of the UK rich, especially the bankers and city wankers (I hate the bankers. Did I mention that before? Bloody parasites. Oh, except when they sponsor BUBB activities or sit on the board of the Brolly Investment Business) should do the same.

My nephew, currently at Oxford, naturally, had the cheek to slap me down in a comment on my blog the ignorant pampered elitist snobbish uber capitalist little shit. His attitude that paying tax is a burdensome duty for the rich (oh bless that they should have to contribute to reducing inequalities in society), that there should be something in it for them if they are to give back to the poor and using guilt trips on him will make him buy a yacht instead speaks volumes really.

If there weren't people earning such massive amounts of cash on the backs of others' efforts in the first place (helped by an in-built elitism perpetuated by institutions such as Oxford, naturally) we might not need such generosity and charity as society would automatically be fairer. What the super rich giving to charity does is merely reinforce where the power lies, not address inequality. And so the status quo is maintained.

Sorry, came over a bit simplistic Marxist there. Almost forgot myself and thought I was an angry young man again rather than a champagne socialist,trying to ease the plight of the poor over fine food and wine. What would my dear friend Tony Blair say?