Happy Friday, reader, and welcome to another gruelling interview from the charity sector’s most gumptious interrogator, Society Diary.
Facing 10 probing questions this week is Why Philanthropy Matters founder, Pears Foundation philanthropy expert in residence and recently appointed director of philanthropy knowledge at Alliance Magazine, Rhodri Davies.
Davies knows a thing or two about the world of charitable giving, but what about other worlds and other species? You can read our conversation below.
Are you enjoying your new role as fount of all philanthropy knowledge?
“Yes, very much so. I don’t really need much of an excuse to bore on about philanthropy, so it’s nice to have a job title that gives people a bit of forewarning.
“Also, my kids think it is hilarious.”
Who would win an arm wrestle – George Peabody or Joseph Rowntree?
“Finally, somebody is asking the important questions!
“This is a tricky one – Peabody grew up in grinding poverty so I would imagine he wasn’t a big man. And he also had gout in later life. But then again, Rowntree was a Quaker and staunch pacifist…
“I’m going to say Rowntree for the win, as long as we pitch it as a ‘non-violent strength contest’.”
Chris Hohn gave £1bn to charity last year. What would you have spent it on?
“Addressing biodiversity loss – particularly the massive decline in insect populations.
“But I would want to get people’s attention, so I would probably do it through a radical proposal to rewild every golf course in the UK.”
Does rounding up a Big Mac order for charity make one a philanthropist?
“That probably depends on how many Big Macs you are ordering. If it’s two, then no. If it’s three million, then let’s talk.”
Who’s the hottest philanthropist in the world right now?
“As a 44-year-old man I think I need to be very careful about offering opinions on who is ‘hot’ in any context.”
Do charities exist in other solar systems?
“Is this the charity sector version of the Fermi Paradox? ‘If other forms of charity life exist, why haven’t we had any direct mail from them yet?’”
Which animals are the most generous?
“I think those female crab spiders which allow their young to cannibalise them could be argued to be fairly generous. I’ve certainly never done that for my kids.”
Have you ever come across a misanthropic philanthropist?
“Yes, plenty. As the philosopher Robert Nozick once said: ‘Sometimes one encounters individuals who care about people in the abstract, while apparently not having such care about any particular people.’
“I’d argue that Elon Musk fits this bill pretty neatly.”
Your namesake is a famous harpist. Have you any hidden talents?
“I have been known to crack out a pretty compelling karaoke version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ when the occasion presents itself.”
Up to anything nice this summer?
“Going on a family holiday to the Azores, and then taking our kids to the Green Man festival so they can pour scorn on my taste in music.”
