The Philanthropic Charade Of Silicon Valley And America's Elites

Advertising out of Silicon Valley is often tagged with the idea that this product is changing the world for the better. Intel says you can also crush the impossible. Unilever declares that "when you choose Unilever, you help create a bright future." Facebook's core philosophy is "creating positive social change in the world."

Beyond the products, writer Anand Giridharadas argues that changing the world has been co-opted, not helped, by the rich and that corporate philanthropic projects and think tanks are unwilling to push for deeper structural changes in society.

Anand Giridharadas will be speaking at the Brattle Theatre on Thursday. He will also be in Boston on Oct. 13 for the Boston Book Festival. 

Anand Giridharadas, writer and former New York Times correspondent. His latest book is Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World. He tweets @anandwrites.