The Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy

The kids these days

2011-12-26T21:45:20+00:00

One of the best things about our forays into creative microphilanthropy is that they so often involve the young and wise. Check out the latest post over at GOOD, paying tribute to all the little ones that have taught us something about generosity.

Though Darwin is most widely known for popularizing the “survival of the fittest,” that was actually only half of his view on human nature. Twelve years after publishing On the Origins of Species, he wrote Descent of Man, in which he argued that “our regard for the approbation and disapprobation of our fellows depends on sympathy, which, as we shall see, forms an essential part of the social instinct, and is indeed its foundation-stone.”

How about that? Even Darwin believed that human beings are instinctually social and sympathetic. Perhaps it’s society’s hardening effects that condition us to stop obeying our most basic instincts to empathize, share, and act on behalf of others. That's why kids are such great teachers and benefactors of creative microphilanthropy.

Philanthropy as connection

2011-12-19T15:16:55+00:00

Remember this video?

Check out the latest post at GOOD, this time focusing in on the inspiring power of human connection that sparks within creative philanthropy:

Many of the “secret agents” of The Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy have found over the years that it’s not their finances that are most altered by the endeavor, but their attention. As they walk through the world, conscious that they have agreed to give away a small amount of money, they begin to notice things about the people around them and feel more engaged in the suffering they witness. They begin to chew on questions like: Who am I really responsible for? How do I define “stranger”? What role do I want to play in my coffee shop, my neighborhood, my city?

Christmas comes early for suprised strangers

2011-12-16T18:07:47+00:00

Love this.

At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers' layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn't afford, especially toys and children's clothes set aside by impoverished parents.

Care for a spot of tweet this afternoon?

2011-12-15T14:13:28+00:00

We'll be doing a live tweet chat with the community forming around GOOD's 30-day creative microphilanthropy challenge at 2pm EST. Tweet your questions, comments, and bright ideas @sscpsuperagent and don't forget the hashtag: #30daysofGOOD.

Give what you love

2011-12-15T14:10:35+00:00

Another post is up at GOOD on creative microphilanthropy. The challenge is starting to really heat up over there. An excerpt:

Rather than dwelling on the world’s ills, start by asking a question that begins with your own soul. Civil rights leader and theologian Howard Thurman recommends: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Uber-creative not so secret agent, Miranda July

2011-12-08T19:07:04+00:00

Ten letters

2011-12-07T14:49:14+00:00

I wrote to a mailman. I wrote to a group of kids who shined a laser at me, which made me laugh. I wrote to the obstetrics staff of the hospital where I was born to tell them how my life was going. I wrote to the owners of a house I liked.

My friend Alex invited me to a party one day while we were having lunch. A coworker had invited him, and he said I could be his plus one. Alex didn’t know anybody who would be at the party, save for his coworker, but he said it sounded fun. “It’s for a group called the Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy,” he said. “Tell me those aren’t going to be our kind of people.”

I had to admit his offer sounded good. As an artist, I’m very positive about creativity and philanthropy. And secret societies? Well, let’s just say I can’t talk about that here. He explained the SSCP as best he could over lunch, that it consisted of giving away $100 as creatively as possible. A night of listening to people telling stories about giving away $100 sounded like a good idea.

Tape a cheery note on a bag o’ cranberries

2011-12-05T17:42:56+00:00

There's plenty of great buzz on the interwebs about the 30-Days of GOOD creative microphilanthropy challenge, inspired by none other than this very Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy. Check out the latest post of ideas, drawn from our own secret agents.

This is my favorite comment from the first post:

About a year ago, I found a dollar bill taped to a bag of cranberries in a grocery store in Portland. On it was written the following message:

May you be blessed with pure JOY in your life everyday!

I was inspired by the ability of such a simple gesture to express kindness. I keep it on my wall to remind me how easy it is to be a good person.

Oh, and did you know that Secret Society has a Twitter handle: @sscpsuperagent? Follow us today and we'll start keeping you updated on how this awesome collabo unfolds.

GOOD 30-day challenge on creative microphilanthropy

2011-12-01T20:29:19+00:00

Gotta love GOOD Magazine's 30-Day Challenges. This month, inspired, in part, by our crew of rabblerousers and big-hearted givers, they are challenging their readers to give away $30 in some creative, kind way. Check out the launch post, and get involved. You can tweet your support, ideas, experiences at #30DaysofGOOD.

Color philanthropy

2011-11-21T14:56:03+00:00

Everyone knows, or should, that Jessi Arrington is sort of the visual patron saint of The Secret Society for Creative Philanthropy. She and her amazing team at WORKSHOP, "where design and social responsibility meet," designed this here site.

Jessi is known for lots of amazing things--starting with her exuberant personality, legendary second hand clothing fashions, and, of course, her affection for bright, bold colors. That's why, if you're friends with Jessi, you will likely, at some wonderful moment, find yourself marching, dressed head to toe in a monochromatic outfit, smiling your face off. She's become sort of the master of the "rainbow parade"--an act of generousity if ever there was one. As you're marching around DUMBO, for example, in color order, feeling much camradare with your fellow yellows or oranges, swinging your sparkler, you notice the happiness infect truck drivers, baristas, moms pushing strollers, and even old fellas along the way. Exhibit A:

This moment transpired at the latest incarnation of said parade, enacted one beautiful Brooklyn day this month as Jessi took her rightful place on the long list of awesome NYC Creative Mornings speakers. Thanks for all that you are, Jessi.