Why Give to Charity?
- Filed under: News
- Date: Jun 9,2009
If you are wondering what the current consensus on is as to ‘Why Give’ I have stumbled across a couple of sources. They mostly talk about giving to be altruistic – a selfless act, to give one a sincere sense of purpose or to raise your charitable status among others. Ultimately, we as a human race must give to survive.
From the Fed Bank of St Louis Study,
Although some people may be altruistic when giving, economics tells us that the dominant motivation is the internal satisfaction that individuals derive from the act of giving itself. Individuals derive utility from giving much in the same way they obtain satisfaction from buying a new car or eating at a restaurant; especially when the number of donors is large, the social context of other people’s giving is overshadowed by the satisfaction of one’s own giving when considering how much to give.
From Sean’s Blog on Philantrophy,
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines altruism as, “unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others” If a person sacrifices themselves for another, it is not simple “unselfish”, it is because they would be completely miserable if they chose to look the other way. Any parent knows that the happiness and health of their children is more important than their own needs. This isn’t “unselfish”, it is just a fact of life.
The narrative of philanthropy is dominated by the concept that people who give do so to get something for themselves. I cannot tell you how many references I’ve seen to people saying that Warren Buffett’s gift to the Gates Foundation was a way for him to exploit a loophole to avoid taxes. But I think that narrative is false. Humans are interconnected with each other whether they like it of not. The fact that helping others also helps us does not diminish the act of giving, it is the brilliant fact of life that makes community work.
To read more check out:
Tactical Philantrophy – Why Do People Give to Charity
The Federal Bank of St Louis - The Economics of Charitable Giving: What Gives?
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