This charity-as-part-of-consumerism is the topic of Zizek's talk <i>First as Tragedy, Then as Farce</i>; well worth a watch (10 minutes) and approachable by those without philosophical backgrounds:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAMbpQ8J7g" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAMbpQ8J7g</a>