Danny ChaiI just read a fascinating article about one Chuck Feeney. Ever heard of him? Me neither. But if you read about him, he’s a fascinating character. He would be a billionaire except he’s given almost all of it away. And he goes out of his way to make it secret; he based his foundation in Bermuda so he didn’t have to declare things for tax purposes, and he receives no tax benefits for his gifts. He lives a ridiculously frugal life (no car, no house, cheap watch) and gives like crazy, all in secret.
He’s not totally unknown; he was once a runner-up Time Man Of The Year. But he’s probably the greatest philanthropist of all time, and no one knows him, by his own choice. Something about that is really inspiring.
Here’s another article about him and other secret givers. I dunno, like I said, it’s inspiring. To have that much, and want to forgo things to give it all away, that’s awesome. I mean, many of us probably say we would live a frugal life and give money away if we were rich. But his life is more modest than what many of us already have. Pretty amazing.