Originally, the word charity referred to a virtue: it meant a loving attitude towards others. More recently it refers to giving to those in need, and charities are organisations that facilitate such giving.
Humans are wired to care most about those closest to them, and when times are tough, it can be tempting to draw a stark line between those we care about and those we don’t. The virtue of charity requires us to extend our care beyond our inner circle, to include people we don’t know, or who are different from ourselves.
Sometimes, people with a strong desire to practise virtue, such as community leaders or clergy, can put so much energy into helping others that they neglect their own families. In their enthusiasm to serve, they treat their loved ones as extensions of themselves, expecting them to give up their time or possessions for the sake of strangers. Other people pride themselves on donating to a cause but neglect the practical charity of showing goodwill towards the people around them. The saying ‘charity begins at home’ is a reminder that the virtue, charity, is not just about public gestures, but rather an attitude of care that extends to everyone.
Charity in the sense of giving to the needy is a concept that makes sense only where there is inequality. Hence it can be misused to make the giver look superior (eg videoing yourself giving to a homeless person) or to demean the receiver (eg having to give up your privacy in exchange for help). Practising charity in the original virtuous sense is to give humbly, with respect. And truly caring for humankind means striving for a fairer society where formal charities will no longer be needed to address systemic injustice.
Stephanie Hills ©