An Insider's Outsider: Doris Duke

Courtesy Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives
Special Collections Library, Duke University

There have been a recent spate of books celebrating introverts. Books with titles like The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in an Extrovert World; The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World, and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking. I am surely amongst many to get up and cheer - albeit silently- as I am an introvert. I love spending time with others but it is by spending time alone that I am able to re-energize, ponder, get good ideas, muster through things, write, and get my most creative work done. I am always inspired to learn of other introverts, famous or not- people who are puttering around, working out ideas and trying to better themselves and the world around them. I have decided that famous philanthropist Doris Duke (1912-1993) was clearly an introvert, someone who was happier making things happen from behind the scenes, someone who never wanted to be in the spotlight. Duke let her actions speak for her. It is difficult to underestimate her influence. I admire how a private person was able to do so much in her lifetime and beyond.

I was thinking about the idea of custodianship and the long-held notion of the wealthy using their fortunes to help others. Doris Duke lived this principle.  In "Downton Abbey," the Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley, says to his family: "...My fortune is the work of others who laboured to build a great dynasty. Do I have the right to destroy their work or impoverish that dynasty? I am a custodian, my dear, not an owner. I must strive to be worthy of the task I've been set." Duke was more than worthy of her task as a cultural, humanitarian and civic custodian. Stewardship. Philanthropy. Environmental protection. Child welfare. Animal welfare. Medical research. Doris Duke was a visionary. It is unfortunate that she is no longer alive- I imagine she would be very happy with how her money has been spent.

Duke was an unusual woman for her time and perhaps because of her wealth had little concern for social conventions- after all, she had more money than anyone else (her nickname since childhood was "the richest girl in the world") and she could do what she wanted.  Her legacy is one of impressive wealth used to benefit millions of people whom she did not know. For Duke, creating public programs and giving money away was perhaps an introvert's way to develop community and to feel connected to others. The idea of legacy and programs which continue long after she was gone means that she is forever linked to strangers and people she could never know personally or meet face-to-face. Perhaps this is the ultimate introvert dream: to help others, but from a safe distance through history, or through public works, buildings, arts programs, and medical research.

I am inspired by her as someone who shared her vision of a better world in a quietly powerful way.  Originally I wanted to focus on Doris Duke and the architecture of her house, Shangri La, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Shangri La is a dream destination for me made even more fascinating by learning about Duke and her far-reaching humanitarian, artistic, and environmental efforts. Duke transformed her private home into what is now the Center for Islamic Arts and Cultures, containing the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. I wanted to know more about what would inspire Duke to create an architectural monument and to fill it full of Middle Eastern art. Duke is a model of an introvert capable of enormous, public acts of generosity and stewardship. Duke was the well-known private philanthropist, environmentalist, art collector, and preservationist who spent her entire life giving money away. She rarely granted interviews. Over the course of her lifetime, Duke gave away approximately $400 million dollars. The Doris Duke Foundation is currently estimated to be valued at over $1.6 billion dollars. I was inspired by these numbers to learn about the elusive benefactor of so many meaningful programs.

English author James Hilton coined the term Shangri La in his book, Lost Horizon. It refers to an imaginary land set in the mountains of Tibet. I am fond of mixing seemingly disparate ideas and thought I would include the magnificent Kinks song of the same name. The opening of "Shangri La" is a chance to appreciate Ray Davies's beautiful voice, guitar, and horns. The song meanders through melodic changes which remind me of many 60's pop anthems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt0IXkIVvo4
 I love a good story song, especially one that gently mocks middle class values and aspiration, done as only The Kinks can. Davies creates the portrait of an ordinary man who attempts to insulate himself in his house as protection from the worries of the outside world: bill-paying, a new car, a mortgage, the stress of everyday life. "Too scared to think about how insecure you are/ Life ain't so happy in your little Shangri-la…" I included this song because Duke certainly never had any of the concerns of living in a tidy suburb, bill-paying, or a mortgage, but her private life was messy- money may have made her life easier but it did not protect her from great sadness. Shangri La was a sanctuary for her. It is lovely to imagine her enjoying a moment of peace, much-deserved, for all of her hard work. Introverts need a place of respite and Shangri La was such a place for Duke. Shangri La exemplifies all that Doris Duke represents: her wide-ranging interest in valuing diverse cultures and people, protecting green spaces, and giving as many people as possible access to art and culture that they might not otherwise know about.

Powder compact belonging to Doris Duke.  Image courtesy of The Newport Restoration Foundation.

Sources:
www.ddcf.org 
www.shangrilahawaii.org 
http://library.duke.edu/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5580/
www.dukefarms.org