Poverty Tourism
Aug 06
I apologise in advance but this Blog is going to be a bit of a rant. I was saddened to see that there is going to be another series of ‘The Secret Millionaire‘ return to Channel 4. I despise this program and this genre.
The program takes millionaires into ‘ordinary’ neighbourhoods and encourages them to experience ‘real lives’. The upshot is they realize that some people live in poverty and after having lived in a community in secret for a couple of weeks, they make a few donations.
Of course it is a good thing to give money to charity; capitalism depends on people always putting something back into the system that has benefited them. But what has happened to putting something back with dignity?
Why can’t people just write cheques to charities or just give money without cameras being there to validate their fragile egos?
There was a program last year where millionaires were ‘invited’ to be homeless for a few weeks. What did it teach them? That homeless people are like the rest of us - you get some good ones and some bad ones? Some of them have issues!
Why could there not have been a program where homeless people were invited to spend five weeks living with millionaires? That might have done some good over the long term.
I realize through the feedback I have been getting that many of the readers of this Blog are running their own companies or are in the process of starting a company. Please allow me to get on my soapbox and preach for a second.
No matter how successful you are in life, please don’t patronize those less fortunate. There is an extremely thin line between success and failure. Being on one side of that line does not make you different from the person on the other side.
The people I really respect are the millions of people who are quietly working away making the world a better place. These are people who give up their time to visit people in hospitals, who buy homeless people coffees (instead of giving them money!) People who devote their talents into Social Entrepreneurship or the millions of people who make the whole system work through paying taxes.
The thing that motivates me about investing in start ups is that you are investing in the wealth creation process. If these companies are successful they will employ people and pay taxes. VAT and corporation tax now form the bulk of government receipts - that is putting something real back into the system without cameras and with people’s dignity left intact.
Hi and welcome to my blog. 
Aug 07 at 08:46
Hi Permjot
I think you make some good points here. I work with social entrepreneurs and I believe that it makes much more sense to try to do good whilst you’re running your business, rather than deciding to do a bit of good after you’ve made all your money. If we’re going to improve society, we need the energies and talents of entrepreneurs to be dedicated to doing good whilst they’re making money.
Thanks
Rob
Aug 07 at 11:05
I completely agree with you Permjot!
The alternative should have been produced - where those on or under the poverty-line are shown how, and perhaps given the tools to start a new business and mentored through the process.
That surely would have had economic benefit rather than just pandering to the public’s most base desire to be a voyeur.