Why would your school get money from him and not just education in general?

If someone becomes successful, it's common to pay it back by helping out the steps that might have led to that success.

Brin didn't go to every high school: he went to the one he did.

And maybe he had a terrible experience and thought it contributed nothing to his success... but that's kind of a dick perspective at a certain level of wealth, especially if a school has needs (and they always do).

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DerArzt 3 days ago | parent [-]

You're describing what a well designed tax system should be doing. Philanthropy is just the rich convincing us that things are fine, and we shouldn't worry that billionaires exist.

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ethbr1 3 days ago | parent [-]

A tax system takes the amount required to fund society to the equality level desired.

In anything less than a fully-equalizing society, philanthropy still has a place.

(Said as someone who thinks higher wealth brackets, including my own, should be taxed more heavily)

	▲	yencabulator 13 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I guess the Nordic societies have to really equal then, because I can't remember ever even hearing of anyone donating anything to a single school. Like.. there's nothing in the system for a school to even be prepared to even own a donation. A school over there doesn't manage a financial fund, it runs on an annual municipal budget. It's all tax money. The parent commenter put it well, philanthropy is just the rich convincing [America] that things are fine.