If wealthy people want to earn a better reputation in the midst of our grossly unequal economy, they better start thinking of ways to spread it around.

That said, a better solution would have been to ask for a low interest loan with bearable payment installments tied to variable income, say no more then 5 to 10 percent, where payments are applied to the principle debt only, so interest doesn't generate more debt, as is the norm; and also have interest only accrue on the principle amount borrowed/remaining and be non-compound year to year. If $16,000 was borrowed, you only pay on that and not any interest accrued. If by year two, you're down to $14,000 and $500 in interest, no interest accrues on the $500. By the end, you'll be done paying the principle back and any interest left to pay will be on a pay down system until the debt is cleared with no further interest accruing.

The problem isn't carrying debt. It's that excessive usury is making debt harder to bear, and rich people everywhere bear some responsibility in that they are sucking up wealth in the process, while good people suffer. So yes, if rich people want to maintain a capitalist economic hierarchy, they should help ease the burden given how bad is today's wealth inequality. If not, the system will eventually collapse and leave a ruined society.