The Generosity Crisis

CHAPTER 4The Trust Breakdown

What would you do with a million dollars? Anyone who has ever bought a lotto ticket has a plan for that first million. It usually involves paying off debts, buying new vehicles, and/or taking a long vacation somewhere nice—maybe somewhere exotic. Likewise, many Americans have an even more expansive fantasy of what they'd do if they came into $10 million or even $100 million. This varies from person to person but might involve early retirement or buying a business that could evolve into a winning family legacy. Philanthropy is not top of mind for most people; in fact, statistics from GoBankingRates confirm “that only 7% of respondents said the first thing they would do if they won the lottery is donate their winnings to charity.”

Now once you get into what you do with billions, the answers from most non-billionaires become hazy. It's difficult to conceive of $20 billion, let alone imagine what you might do with such an incredible sum.

A TALE OF TWO MOGULS

Of course, some billionaires buy toys, just like everyday individuals who make their first million. One famous example is the recent boat purchase of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. As of this writing, Bezos is the world's second richest person. What do you do when your personal wealth exceeds the GDP of more than 50 countries? You acquire the world's largest yacht, naturally, and let no obstacle stand in your way—including historic bridges.

Bezos's new superyacht is an incredible vessel, at 417 feet ...