2

Is there a word that describes a situation where a person becomes well enough off in their other needs that they turn to helping others?

I'm thinking specifically about how celebrities turn their focus on charities and communities once they get to a certain status. I'm looking for a name for that situation, NOT an adjective to describe the person.

Example: Leonardo DiCaprio has reached such a place in his career that he can focus on philanthropy without the need to constantly work. His hierarchy of needs has been satisfied to a point where he is now searching for fulfillment in helping others.

The italicized area is the word I'm looking for. I'm looking for the search for helping others when you no longer have to focus on helping yourself.

Any ideas?

6
  • 2
    Philanthropy or philanthropism seems close to what you describe, but not quite the same. Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 16:36
  • This is called giving back [to the community] or paying it forward. Commented Oct 28, 2016 at 3:51
  • You'd have to rephrase both sentences, but self actualization seems like a phrase to consider.
    – Mathily
    Commented Oct 28, 2016 at 21:45
  • J. Siebeneichner has it. Philanthropy describes giving, and usually by someone well off… but giving specifically because you're well enough off makes it very difficult. "Lady Bountiful" describes a rather rich wife turning to charitable works partly for duty and party for something to do with her empty days However, "Lady Bountiful" usually includes a sense that she's not being altruistic but wants recognition and she has no male counterpart. Commented Nov 12, 2016 at 22:42
  • @RobbieGoodwin That's almost perfect. If not for the boredom/recognition aspect, that would be it.
    – Lynn
    Commented Nov 18, 2016 at 19:35

2 Answers 2

-1

From Merriam-Webster

philanthropist

a wealthy person who gives money and time to help make life better for other people

1
  • 2
    This seems to be a noun describing the person, not a name for that situation.
    – herisson
    Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 17:59
-2
Altruist

Synonymous to philanthropist as already answered by @devc2

Attaching screenshot from the WordWeb dictionary app that I've installed on my Windows computer which shows synonyms and names of famous celebrated altruists.enter image description here

4
  • Unless a definition of 'altruist' from a dictionary including the modifier 'wealthy' is added, I will not accept that the overlap of the synonyms is sufficient, and will feel obliged to downvote. Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 17:05
  • This seems to be a noun describing the person, not a name for that situation.
    – herisson
    Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 17:59
  • @EdwinAshworth - Answer edited with proof that contains even list of celebrities as requested in the question Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 19:09
  • But this does not make 'wealthy' a requirement for being an altruist. It just shows that some altruists are wealthy. Indeed, Jesse Marczyk Ph.D., in a Psychology Today article titled The Altruism of the Rich and the Poor, writes: '[C]haritable giving appears to evidence a U-shaped distribution, in which the richest and poorest sections of the population contribut[e] a greater percentage of their income than those in the middle' Commented Oct 27, 2016 at 22:38

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .