Because to make a significant difference to that person's life you'd have to give them an astounding amount of money (and probably other forms of support), and personally speaking I'm still desperately saving just for a chance at having a place of my own myself. Nobody claimed to be 'virtuous', but caring is a good first step. I donate some of my time and a small amount per month to a local multicultural group. Small things help. Caring helps. Why is this suddenly about whether you're happy to give away half your savings to a person you don't know? Society as a whole could make things better by sharing wealth just a little more equitably. But some people seem to think that billionaires are just fine and not at all a symptom of a sick society.

Sorry but I get really frustrated by this lazy kind of 'well why don't you do it?' response. It just feels like you're trying to convince yourself that you're right not to care (to be clear, I have no idea whether you do or not), and implying that anyone who does, and hopes for something better, is just a hypocrite.

I share your frustrations and thanks for your support.

The accusation and tone was that billionaires have incredible wealth that they horde while people around them suffer.

But that is a very uncharitable framing of their philanthropy.

They should pay their fair share of taxes, they aren’t some emperor who decides over us.

This "why don't you do it?" type of argument is probably the most common straw-man response to this topic.

The whole point, is to point out that some people have enough money to uplift hundreds of thousands out of poverty. Some have greater personal wealth than the GDP of an entire country, and that those people should either:

Give up some part of their wealth for the greater good.

Never be allowed to accumulate that much personal wealth in the first place.

The common person, like myself, doesn't have that kind of money. I cannot even afford a house for myself.

> Give up some part of their wealth for the greater good.

And you think they don’t?

s/some/most

Governments have to give them tax breaks / tax write-offs in order to convince them to part with a small amount of their wealth.

So no. And especially so for the corporations they own.