Author | Lightnews

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · 7d

New Why Philanthropy Matters article exploring Peter Thiel's recent Antichrist lectures, his efforts to stop Elon Musk giving to charity, and what his worldview and approach might tell us about wider trends shaping the future of philanthropy.
whyphilanthropymatters.com/article/pete...

Peter Thiel and Philanthropy in the End of Days - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Sep 12

Exciting moment yesterday with the arrival of a copy of the new Chinese edition of my book "What is Philanthropy For?"

I can't actually read it, of course, but it looks & feels great; so I can confidently say that it would make a great gift for any Chinese-speaking philanthropoids out there...

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Glen Berman @glenberman.bsky.social · Aug 13

After one too many conversations about the ways GenAI + peer review = shitshow for all involved, I dashed off this slightly polemic commentary on how I think we should talk about GenAI as an epistemic carcinogen.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Jul 10

New episode of the podcast out now, featuring a really fun conversation with Alisha Fernandez Miranda about her new book "Someone's Gotta Give" - a comic tale set in the world of philanthropy advice that also manages to raise some pretty big questions:
whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/alis...

Alisha Fernandez Miranda: Writing fiction about philanthropy - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Stanford PACS @stanfordpacs.bsky.social · Jun 24

New on our blog, @rhodridavies.bsky.social reflects on his session on #AI in the #nonprofit sector for our Education for Philanthropy Professionals (EPP) course and how #philanthropy professionals can bridge the gap between knowledge and action in an era of rapid change.

Read the interview:

Exploring AI and Strategic Foresight in Philanthropy with Rhodri Davies - Stanford PACS

Rhodri Davies, a leading thinker on philanthropy and technology, recently joined Stanford PACS’ Education for Philanthropy Professionals (EPP) program to discuss the role of artificial intelligence in...

pacscenter.stanford.edu

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Brian Robson @brianrobson.bsky.social · Jun 16

An interesting (and topical) @rhodridavies.bsky.social interview on Philanthropy & Civil Society in Northern Ireland with Róisín Wood of Community Foundation NI. We're proud to partner with CFNI on the Community Solutions to Housing & Homelessness programme. www.philanthropisms.com/1862997/epis...

Róisín Wood: Philanthropy & Civil Society in Northern Ireland - Philanthropisms

In this episode of the Philanthropisms podcast we talk to Róisín Wood, CEO of the Community Foundation Northern Ireland (CFNI), about the landscape for philanthropy and civil society in Northern Irela...

www.philanthropisms.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Jun 12

New ep of the Philanthropisms podcast out now - a fascinating & timely conversation w/ Roisin Wood from Community Foundation Northern Ireland about philanthropy & civil society in NI, and the role of funders and CSOs in overcoming division and polarisation:
whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/rois...

Róisín Wood: Philanthropy & Civil Society in Northern Ireland - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Jun 4

The latest Why Philanthropy Matters newsletter went out today.

Including Bill Gates's Spending Sooner Surprise, a duo of philanthropy rankings, a victory in defence of UK civic space, silicon valley & the future of philanthropy, and tainted gambling wealth.

preview.mailerlite.io/preview/4671...

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 22

New episode of the podcast out today, taking a look at the recent announcement by Bill Gates that he is bringing forward plans to give away 99% of his wealth and spend down his foundation to a new end date of 2045.
whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/the-...

The Gates Foundation and timescales for philanthropy - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 22

Eagle-eyed Philanthropisms superfans will note this episode is out a week earlier than scheduled.

(Because I'm on holiday next week but the thought of depriving you of the opportunity to hear me bang on about philanthropy again was too awful to contemplate, so I pulled this one forward. De nada).

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 22

We explore some of the questions this raises, as well as the wider historical context behind the idea of perpetuity for endowments (and why it has long attracted criticism).

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 22

New episode of the podcast out today, taking a look at the recent announcement by Bill Gates that he is bringing forward plans to give away 99% of his wealth and spend down his foundation to a new end date of 2045.
whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/the-...

The Gates Foundation and timescales for philanthropy - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 12

Managed to get to Eryri over the weekend and do the Bochlwyd Horseshoe in the sunshine, which was a blast.

Would deffo recommend going up Glyder Fach via Bristly Ridge- great fun.

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 12

Managed to get to Eryri over the weekend and do the Bochlwyd Horseshoe in the sunshine, which was a blast.

Would deffo recommend going up Glyder Fach via Bristly Ridge- great fun.

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · May 9

I chipped in a brief comment for this AP piece about Bill Gates's new plans to spend down over the next 20 years:
apnews.com/article/bill...
(And thanks to the magic of press syndication, I am also clocking up media appearances today in some brilliantly improbable places as a result...)

Bill Gates pledges his remaining fortune to the Gates Foundation, which will close in 20 years

Bill Gates says he will donate 99% of his remaining tech fortune to the Gates Foundation. Today, that would be worth an estimated $107 billion.

apnews.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Apr 25

I was very sceptical about Star Wars TV spin offs for a long time, - assuming they were basically the embodiment of the stifling death of originality - but having just watched ep 3 of season 2 of Andor I'm now pretty convinced this is the best thing on TV by an absolute country mile.

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Apr 3

The latest edition of the Philanthropisms podcast is the 9th in our partnership series with ERNOP. This time featuring:
This time, featuring conversations with Mark Ørberg,
Michele Fugiel Gartner and Oonagh Breen.

whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/erno...

ERNOP: Connecting Philanthropy Academia & Practice #9 - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Apr 1

FYI the latest Why Philanthropy Matters newsletter went out today.

Featuring: Michael Sheen's debt cancellation philanthropy, Sleaford Mods on the value of volunteering, and does eating seafood make you more generous? (And no, that's not an April fool).

preview.mailerlite.io/preview/4671...

Why Philanthropy Matters Newsletter March 2025

preview.mailerlite.io

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Apr 1

FYI the latest Why Philanthropy Matters newsletter went out today.

Featuring: Michael Sheen's debt cancellation philanthropy, Sleaford Mods on the value of volunteering, and does eating seafood make you more generous? (And no, that's not an April fool).

preview.mailerlite.io/preview/4671...

Why Philanthropy Matters Newsletter March 2025

preview.mailerlite.io

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 28

New on Why Philanthropy Matters: exploring Elon Musk's recent claim that "empathy is the fundamental weakness of western civilization".

What does he mean, where does the idea come from & is he right?
(Spoiler: No, he isn't. But it's important to know why).
whyphilanthropymatters.com/article/is-e...

Is Elon Musk right that “empathy is the fundamental weakness of western civilization?” - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 28

New on Why Philanthropy Matters: exploring Elon Musk's recent claim that "empathy is the fundamental weakness of western civilization".

What does he mean, where does the idea come from & is he right?
(Spoiler: No, he isn't. But it's important to know why).
whyphilanthropymatters.com/article/is-e...

Is Elon Musk right that “empathy is the fundamental weakness of western civilization?” - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 21

Good point. Although this was in a secondary school for boys in Bath in 1993, so I'm gonna say that the balance of probabilities wasn't great.

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 21

There's probably an important lesson in there about our post-shame political culture, or something.

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 21

Every once in a while I remember with a jolt the time when I was in year 7 and a boy in my class who hadn't done any work on the term-long music project just did the whole rap from "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and claimed he'd written it.

Never backed down, either.

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Reposted by Rhodri Davies

Rhodri Davies @rhodridavies.bsky.social · Mar 20

OUT NOW: For the latest episode of the Philanthropisms podcast, I took a very enjoyable deep dive into the history of fundraising with @marinajones.bsky.social

whyphilanthropymatters.com/podcast/mari...

Marina Jones: The history of fundraising - Why Philanthropy Matters

whyphilanthropymatters.com

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