Giving Back to the Community

People often refer to their charitable efforts as “giving back.” This is a misuse of language; what did they take? No, they are simply giving. Here’s an excerpt from a classic Don Boudreaux letter:

Dear Ritz-Carlton:

Thanks for your e-mail celebrating your and your employees’ participation in “Give Back Getaways” — activities in which you and your employees (along with some of your customers) “give back to the community.”

Have you taken something that doesn’t belong to you? If so, by all means give it back! (But please don’t applaud yourself for doing so.)

Read the whole thing.