--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald)…" description: "\"“Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman who has trained himself to grin while his conscience is picking his pocket...”\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg" --- # Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman… ![“Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman who has trained himself to grin while his conscience is picking his pocket...” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg) > ““Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman who has trained himself to grin while his conscience is picking his pocket...”” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical definition of a philanthropist as a rich man who smiles while exploiting others. **In simple terms:** Philanthropy mocked as selfishness. Key Takeaway Question true motives behind generosity. Themes satire wealth morality hypocrisy Mood cynical thoughtful Type satirical critical When to use this quote - charitable giving - corporate philanthropy - public perception Key Concepts social critique ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - What drives genuine generosity? - How can we discern sincere philanthropy? A Different Perspective Satire may oversimplify complex motives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Philanthropist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philanthropist/) [Philanthropy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philanthropy/) ## Related quotes > [In bad times, the rich usually get richer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wilde/in-bad-times-the-rich-usually-get-richer/) [Stuart Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-wilde/) > [Wealth is not to feed our egos but to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/wealth-is-not-to-feed-our-egos-but-to-feed-the-hungry-and-to-help/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [“Hypocrisy 101 (The Sonnet) What irritates me the most is hypocrisy, and fancy chimps cannot fathom the irony. While untouched by the economic disparity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/hypocrisy-101-the-sonnet-what-irritates-me-the-most-is-hypocrisy-and/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/is-the-rich-world-aware-of-how-four-billion-of-the-six-billion-live/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [To be a philanthropist, you don't have to be Nelson Mandela. You just have to look around you and ask, 'What little bit can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/to-be-a-philanthropist-you-don-t-have-to-be-nelson-mandela-you-just/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [“There's nothing wrong in being rich and famous, so long as you're giving back more than you're keeping for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/there-s-nothing-wrong-in-being-rich-and-famous-so-long-as-you-re/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“To us children he (Mr Ewing) was our very own ‘Mr Chips’ and invariably we would each receive half a crown whenever we encountered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/to-us-children-he-mr-ewing-was-our-very-own-mr-chips-and-invariably/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [He is one of those wise philanthropists who, in a time of famine, would vote for nothing but a supply of toothpicks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/he-is-one-of-those-wise-philanthropists-who-in-a-time-of-famine-would/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Philanthropy is often seen as society's risk capital. That means the onus is on philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs to innovate. But philanthropic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/philanthropy-is-often-seen-as-society-s-risk-capital-that-means-the/) [Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-arrillaga-andreessen/) > [The philanthropist too often surrounds mankind with the remembrance of his own cast- off griefs as an atmosphere, and calls it sympathy. We should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-philanthropist-too-often-surrounds-mankind-with-the-remembrance/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The best philanthropy is not just about giving money but giving leadership. The best philanthropists bring the gifts that made them successful-the drive, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-best-philanthropy-is-not-just-about-giving-money-but-giving/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [“The sparkle and morning-freshness of the shop, and the butter-conjuring girl, formed a mind-picture which accompanied the whole of my youth.(about the Buttercup Dairy)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-spark/the-sparkle-and-morning-freshness-of-the-shop-and-the-butter/) [Muriel Spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-spark/) > [As a philanthropist, I give away a lot of money every year. Yet I thought there was a higher leverage to come in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-skoll/as-a-philanthropist-i-give-away-a-lot-of-money-every-year-yet-i/) [Jeffrey Skoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-skoll/) > [“There's no sell in serve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julieanne-o-connor/there-s-no-sell-in-serve/) [Julieanne O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julieanne-o-connor/) > [... we all know the wag's definition of a philanthropist: a man whose charity increases directly as the square of the distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/we-all-know-the-wag-s-definition-of-a-philanthropist-a-man-whose/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. In the Ojibwa tongue, disaster; an unexpected affliction that strikes hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/whangdepootenawah-n-in-the-ojibwa-tongue-disaster-an-unexpected/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Jealous, adj. Unduly concerned about the preservation of that which can be lost only if not worth keeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/jealous-adj-unduly-concerned-about-the-preservation-of-that-which-can/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RIDICULE, n. Words designed to show that the person of whom they are uttered is devoid of the dignity of character distinguishing him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/ridicule-n-words-designed-to-show-that-the-person-of-whom-they-are/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Think twice before you speak to a friend in need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/think-twice-before-you-speak-to-a-friend-in-need/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [HERMIT, n. A person whose vices and follies are not sociable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/hermit-n-a-person-whose-vices-and-follies-are-not-sociable/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [TARIFF, n. A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) Rabelaise > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman who has trained himself to grin while his conscience is picking his pocket...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ambrose Bierce" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-old-gentleman-who-has-trained/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conscience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-old-gentleman-who-has-trained/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de8/ambrose-bierce-140_conscience_philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-o_872960.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald) old gentleman who has trained himself to grin while his conscience…” — Ambrose Bierce", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ambrose Bierce", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Philanthropist. A rich (and usually bald)...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-old-gentleman-who-has-trained/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/philanthropist-a-rich-and-usually-bald-old-gentleman-who-has-trained/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```