re: "my circle"
In a voluntary-only charity society, we give to those who are in our circle. Out of sight, out of mind.
People whose circle is impoverished remain impoverished.
I'm tired of pulling up links. Look at Katrina. Look at 9/11. Look at disasters overseas like the tsunamis.
Americans, and others, of all walks of life, dug deep for people they would never know and never see. They do this all the time. Everywhere. The numbers are out there.
You are dead wrong in this view.