The Art of Giving | Modern philanthropy: Local knowledge and legacy

Lurdes de Sousa

In his interpretative essay on the construction of the self, cultural anthropologist Clifford Geertz established a landmark notion in the understanding of local cultures, explaining the importance of shared cultural symbolism through his best seller “Local knowledge: further essays in interpretative anthropology”, first published in 1985. The book and its author, whose fieldwork in Indonesia is legendary, first enlightened cultural anthropology’s significance in explaining how the local overtakes the ‘global’ in the way societies organize and imagine themselves.
Geertz’s much debated school of thought on local cultural identities is brought back to life when attempting to understand one’s legacy, when the ‘local’ turns bigger than the ‘global’.
When it was announced on May 26 that Stanley Ho had passed away, international media described him as the gaming “Moghul”, the “King”, the “Tycoon”, “Godfather” , or simply the “pioneer”, but for locals he will famously be remembered as the man whose legacy transformed a small sleepy fishing enclave into what is today a world class international tourism hub.
What cultural anthropology studied decades ago, regarding the importance of the ‘local’ versus the ‘global’, it can be today translated into corporate cultural legacy. Corporate cultural values carried by a leader who actively commits to infusing cultural beliefs into their own behavior is an expression of the power of giving back. Culture is solidified when those at the top of a company consistently act as a model for all employees, inspiring unity that can carry the organization forward and make societies grow by lifting others up.
One of great urban myths of American business history, “what is good for General Motors is good for America,” had its local version in Macau and, indeed, what was good for STDM was good for Macau.
Throughout human history, people have sought to overcome the human condition and achieve the only form of immortality reasonably available to us: a legacy that “lives on” after we are gone. Legacies can be established in countless ways, including art (Leonardo da Vinci), literature (William Shakespeare) or even sports. Corporate legacies is a new expression of this footprint.
What the local knowledge will remember about Ho’s legacy is that he promised Macau the moon and delivered the moon and much more. He made modern Macau. Much more than his fortune or the many stories about his life, for locals, and foremost for STDM and later SJM employees, he will be remembered as a man who invested in local society with a true sense of love. He personified the power of giving back to society.
On the global stage, he will be remembered as the “Moghul”, the “King”, the “Tycoon” but for locals he will simply be remembered as the father of Macau. In this regard, his local legacy is much greater than the world’s perception of his life.

*President, Associação Internacional
de Filantropia (Macau)
國際博愛協會 (澳門)
president@artofgiving.org.mo
www.artofgiving.org.mo

Macau Daily Times is the official media partner of the Associação Internacional de Filantropia (Macau).