The pandemic was like cracking open a walnut or slowly peeling back an onion. It opened most of us to the vast chasm between haves and have-nots, from the digital divide (mind-numbing that still exists) to BLM to the reality of our history, which apparently freaks out many people enough that they are hoping to ban books and critical race theory.
Fred and I have always worked at being socially responsible. We are very focused on our foundation, Gotham Gives. It is exciting me more every day, so not surprising, in the past year, I have thought more about “what is our social responsibility in the world”?
It’s a gift to help change people’s lives. We are so damn lucky. We certainly worked hard and enjoyed working and playing hard, but timing in life is everything. Others work just as hard and have not achieved the financial success that we have.
Giving back feels good, but we can help make a true impact. We can partner with and support organizations that are making an impact on society. In the big tech industry, where many have made absurd amounts of cash, what are the “titans” feeling about social responsibility? Most wait until they are much older to be philanthropic. Maybe it is time for a change?
We have two very close friends, one of them is def one of my BFFs, and they built and sold their company for life-changing cash. They are working on climate change mainly related to the ocean. They want to help change the world. They have used their businesses know-how to clean the ocean using crypto, NFTs, and connecting the next generation to socially responsible change where you can still create financial value. It’s brilliant, it’s genius, and it is socially responsible. There must be a profit angle if you want disrupters to work on socially responsible companies and get huge audiences/customers/communities to participate.
It’s time for more people in the tech industry to do this. All of us have more capital than most There will always be someone richer and someone poorer, but most are not lacking for basic needs. If you don’t have it in you to take that on, then look into family foundations and see if their mission aligns with yours. Most know how to make an impact and plan to do much more in the years to come. We certainly do.
Many have changed the world through technology; how about making social responsibility next?