In a curious piece in the New York Times, Andrew Ross Sorkin questioned why there was no public record of Apple founder Steve Jobs' philanthropy. Despite a net worth in the billions, Jobs and his wife appear to leave no trace of charitable giving to any organization. They do not belong to the exclusive "Giving Pledge" group led by billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, and a whispering campaign is now audible about Jobs' commitment to philanthropy.
I'm sure the opinions of other billionaires and the media are far from Steve Jobs' psyche these days as he battles for his life and continues to fret over his company's fate from the chairman's office. Whatever money Mr. Jobs chose to give (or not) to worthy causes is a personal matter between him and the good Lord. If he never gave a dime to a down-on-his-luck panhandler on the corner, Jobs could still rest easy for all the good he has caused in this world through his works.
We should keep in mind that several of the fabled 20th century robber-barons and industrialists cleansed their hands and souls by establishing huge endowments to aid the public good. Today their foundations carry on their legacies by doing good throughout the land in their names. Steve Jobs may end up bequeathing a well-funded foundation or something of the sort, which would cast him into posterity. On the other hand, he may very well let his marvelous products, and the joy they bring to hundreds of millions of people, quietly extol his virtue.
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