Manifesto for Microphilanthropy
Microphilanthropy is the Next Big Thing. It’ll be a child of the Age of Choice – the same way humans no longer tune into a channel an Watch What Is On, but instead flick through the hundreds of channels the AoC has made available to them (or, pushing it to an AoC extreme, go to Youtube and search for their entertainment – i.e. micro-personalises his/her experience). No longer will mass campaigns, focused at the head of the curve, be the dominant force in philanthropy – the Long Tail phenomenon that has revolutionised industries like bookselling, electronics retailing, publishing, music, the arts, TV, etc, will also hit charity.
We will see a move from charities and foundations as monolithic armies of street teams and envelope lickers on the donor side, and reasonably large and static deployments of Western expat “missionary” forces on the ground, receiver side – to an entirely new model for charitable institutions, much more like a telephone exchange of old – operators, there to connect you to the ground level, to the cause you care passionately about – even though nobody else in your social circle, neighbourhood or even city cares about it. The Internet will bring enough ‘freaks’ like you together to make the world move in that specific, totally unique way that resonates so strongly with you). The ground level will need to be mobile and flexible and able to react to spontaneous coming-together of interest groups – taken to an extreme, that is a concept I call ’smartmob philanthropy’ and to be totally flexible and responsive on the ground level, it’s going to need Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” of the markets. But that’s not my focus today. I’m looking donor-side.
Future charities will need to make themselves as transparent and connective as they possibly can – a no bullshit, no interruptions, constant connection with your cause. Keep the pipeline up, and they can get more dollars flowing from your bank account than a mass media, totally untargeted mailout, TV spot or street ‘attack’ could ever have. You, as a donor, have so much more than just money to offer, if you can be connected with causes you care about. You can become its greatest advocate in your social circle, far more persuasive and actionable than some well-meaning spotty teenager in a fluorescent bib with a clipboard and a nametag could ever be. You can also be a source of inspiration, networking and innovation to those on the ground level receiving your passionate support.
The Internet is the key technology. My generation, unlike that of my parents, has grown up totally native and accustomed to the Age of Choice – we go to iTunes and we download the music that resonates intimately with us – mainstream radio bores us. The AoC is an unstoppable force – every message, every experience – marketing, entertainment, retail, google ads – trend towards becoming ever more tailored, customised. Charity can’t stick to standard, mass broadcast modes. With the internet, it has infinite gallery space and a rich framework for recommendation tools – old charity is stuck in the mentality of mailing out 3 page pamphlets in which it can only hold one story, aimed at tugging the heartstrings of an entire population – and FORCING the message through with the spotty clipboard brigade or other rude and aggressive moves like including a pen with the mailed-out pamphlet.
Time for a change.
[I suppose the only reason philanthropy is so far behind every other Internet-revolutionised industry is the lack of market forces - it's damn hard enough getting a dollar out of you, let alone competing for it against other charities. That'll change.]
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