Normalize and celebrate conspicuous philanthropy as a substitute for conspicuous consumption.
My first idea was that we should have seen this in earlier times where charity was even more necessary for the operation of society and found this:
The Social and Religious Meanings of Charity in Medieval Europe
There is considerable evidence that during the 12th and 13th centuries, Latin Christendom experienced a charitable revolution. This period witnessed the foundation of large numbers of leprosariaand hospitals for the sick and poor, as well as the creation of confraternities and religious orders engaged in intensive charitable work. Some historians have argued that this charitable outpouring was principally spurred by economic and material forces, as well as a burgeoning urban culture. However, others have suggested that developments in spirituality and devotional culture are central to understanding what medieval charity
meant to its practitioners. For still other scholars, medieval charity was primarily a way to elevate one’s social status and affirm existing hierarchies of power. This essay surveys different historical interpretations of the social and religious meaning of charity during the Middle Ages, including how historians of medieval and early modern Europe have periodized charitable practices and how they have used charity as a window into the interactions between the rich and poor, powerful and powerless.
I just looked into the status-related parts but even these alone indicate that trying to shape signalling toward charity is a complicated albeit worthwile matter.
My first idea was that we should have seen this in earlier times where charity was even more necessary for the operation of society and found this:
-- by Adam J. Davis (emphasis mine)
I just looked into the status-related parts but even these alone indicate that trying to shape signalling toward charity is a complicated albeit worthwile matter.