April 23, 1998 | Read Time: 1 minute
The interplay between soul and money is explored in the Spring issue of Whole Earth. In articles, brief book reviews and excerpts, and lists of resources, the magazine examines the history of money and the myriad ways in which it is used, invested, and given away.
“Education on giving is rare,” writes Peter Warshall, the magazine’s editor, in one essay. “Many foundation officers told me how frustrating it was talking to the young millionaires of Silicon Valley. These millionaires were not greedy or overly self-centered. They had simply never thought of helping others. They had few or no role models.”
In a separate article on foundations, author Mark Dowie suggests that “the only way to be certain that foundations become true and effective servants of civilization, and cease being stewards of plutocracy, is to democratize them” — by opening up philanthropies’ boards and staffs to community activists and ordinary citizens.
Under the current system, he writes, “an overall assessment of twentieth century foundation philanthropy would probably give it C- at best.”
