The New York Post very dismissively reported on the “New York Elite’s Kooky Causes” this weekend — from Donna Karan’s efforts to “integrate holistic and conventional medicine and enhance children’s spiritual growth” to Mayor Bloomberg’s daughter’s collection of “lightly used” equestrian clothes to give to the underprivileged –  the Post and its readers were predictably outraged at what they consider the wealthy’s “narcissistic and self indulgent hobbies masquerading as charity.”

Playing the devil’s advocate though, isn’t any grassroots organization thatn identifies a problem — no matter how small — and fills a need, a good one?  Granted, these groups aren’t out to save starving babies or cure diseases (although, social climber Fabian Basabe’s Imaginary Heroes Foundation is out to “promote universal cooperation and advance human achievement”) but they are trying to help someone or something.  Specialization is what makes modern society possible.  You and I might not be into it, but if someone is, why not?

Or am I just being naive?

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