I recently read a community column about problem solvers in action. The prelude characterised its participants as a rare and misunderstood breed, followed by indirect and derogatory references to fragile egos and less than "solid contributors" who presumably didn't have the mettle to deal with aggressive behaviour.
Harvard Business Review published a portion of W.C.H. Prentice's 1961 article about understanding leadership. Though dated, its insights remain spot on: people are complex, and different. A leader's success is closely tied to his or her ability to tap into individual motivations and achieve wide-reaching goals.
The charitable actions described in the column are a reactive contribution. A proactive one might be efforts to improve conditions so that residents can afford to purchase space heaters that don't malfunction and kill them, such as improving economic and educational opportunities. We can treat symptoms of problems, their essence — or both. Teaching a man to fish has different consequences than bringing him meals.
Are there valid reasons to separate oneself from the pack and move forward? Indeed. But the approach by the columnist looks less like altruism and more like a missed opportunity to exhibit true leadership.