What generous people know about giving that most people never learn.

Two of the biggest artists in the world are under social media scrutiny.

Drake and Vybz Kartel.

Both artists have collaborated on an OVO/Jamaican Flag hoodie that is being sold for $240 - with $100 from each sale (within the first week) being donated to relief efforts in Jamaica.

Some people are wondering why they chose to sell a $240 hoodie as the way to help.

Some are wondering why they couldn’t donate money themselves.

Why do they have to sell something to give back?

And some are wondering why not all the proceeds? Why only $100?

And why only for a week?

And this is what makes giving and generosity so interesting to me.

Let’s break it down.

Why sell a hoodie instead of donating money yourself?

To ask that question, you would also have to consider why someone would try to involve as many people as possible in a cause where so much help is needed.

Can more be done by two people than by thousands?

You would also have to ask if this could be a way to get people who would not have given, to give?

“I gave to the people of Jamaica, and here is my proof” or “Every time I wear this hoodie I think about what happened in Jamaica, the people there, and what I did to help.”

How much is that worth?

Okay, but why only for one week?

Considering that humans are more likely to act under a deadline, how long should the donation period be?

If it were for a month, we would tell ourselves we have time, forget, and do nothing.

The constraint of one week moves people to act faster, and it ties into the immediacy of the need for the people in Jamaica.

But what about the fact that only $100 of the $240 is being donated to the efforts—less than half?

You’re right to be curious about that. I’m curious about it too. But the truth is, I don’t know. I don’t know why they didn’t decide to foot the cost of making and transporting the hoodies and donating 100% of all sales. That sounds better to me, but I don’t know. And I won’t try to pretend to know. Maybe it’s for good reason. Maybe not. Maybe this is a clear sign that this isn’t the effort I want to be a part of - that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It’s just not for me, but can I find another way to contribute to the cause?

What I do know is that they could have done nothing.

Would that have been better?

How do you please everyone?

You can’t.

But you can please God. You can please your heart. And you can please some people.

Might that be enough?

This is not to say that people shouldn’t voice their opinion. That people shouldn’t give feedback. You should. Feedback is the way to improvement. There is no “better” without feedback. And don’t we all want to get better? I know I do.

What’s better than learning how to be better at giving?

What’s better than being better at generosity?

Still, there is a bigger question. A more important question. A question we all should ask ourselves and be open to feedback on.

What am I doing for the people of Jamaica?

Because in the end, is what someone else is doing more important than what you are doing?

Which one can you control?

If you have spent any time around me or read any of my writing on this topic, you probably know that giving anonymously is my favorite way to give. And now you can see at least one benefit as to why.

If Drake and Kartel had given without anyone knowing, they wouldn’t have opened themselves to scrutiny. But at what cost? Would you rather take the scrutiny knowing more people are being helped or would you rather avoid the scrutiny knowing less people are being helped? You decide.

This is why even my favorite way to give has its flaws. Giving anonymously does not rally the community. Giving anonymously does not bring the others. It’s only you, and you alone cannot do the work of many. In addition, giving anonymously closes the door to open feedback. And as we said earlier, feedback is the only way to better. How else will I get better at this generosity thing, if there is no incoming feedback?

So in the end it comes down to your heart.

Are you giving anonymously because you don’t want the scrutiny (*cough cough* feedback)

Or are you giving anonymously because you don’t want the praise?

..

Are you giving publicly because you want the praise?

Or are you giving publicly as a means to get others to join you in the efforts?

God knows.

You know.

Does anything else matter?