I think the second quote was probably more true throughout most of human history but is much less obviously so now that (a) social media is a thing and (b) people live in more geographically-distant and disconnected places. It might still be true for some people now.
Personally, AFAIK none of my friends or colleagues live within a one mile radius of me, despite me being close to the centre of a large city (London). In that context, if I give to the local charity for the homeless and then talk about it on Facebook I think I’m about as much of a role model as if I give to AMF and then talk about it on Facebook. In practice, I don’t like to talk about my giving too much, so when I do I probably want to set the best example possible.
The first quote I have sympathy for some version of, depending how you define ‘local’. Obviously it only makes sense in a non-utilitarian framework, but I do put some moral weight on non-utilitarian frameworks. The thought I’ve often had along these lines is that there are at least 4 charities I can readily identify that have each spent thousands of pounds (or equivalent in volunteer time) helping me to get where I am, and because it’s worked out I’m going to reap benefits over my lifetime that will in all likelihood be in the tens of thousands, even after appropriate adjusting for counterfactuals. I’m not intuitively comfortable with telling them to go away if they ask for my help; it’s in similar territory to ‘stealing to give’ for me.
I think the second quote was probably more true throughout most of human history but is much less obviously so now that (a) social media is a thing and (b) people live in more geographically-distant and disconnected places. It might still be true for some people now.
Personally, AFAIK none of my friends or colleagues live within a one mile radius of me, despite me being close to the centre of a large city (London). In that context, if I give to the local charity for the homeless and then talk about it on Facebook I think I’m about as much of a role model as if I give to AMF and then talk about it on Facebook. In practice, I don’t like to talk about my giving too much, so when I do I probably want to set the best example possible.
The first quote I have sympathy for some version of, depending how you define ‘local’. Obviously it only makes sense in a non-utilitarian framework, but I do put some moral weight on non-utilitarian frameworks. The thought I’ve often had along these lines is that there are at least 4 charities I can readily identify that have each spent thousands of pounds (or equivalent in volunteer time) helping me to get where I am, and because it’s worked out I’m going to reap benefits over my lifetime that will in all likelihood be in the tens of thousands, even after appropriate adjusting for counterfactuals. I’m not intuitively comfortable with telling them to go away if they ask for my help; it’s in similar territory to ‘stealing to give’ for me.