It’s not rational, so why do Americans—more than two-thirds every year—give to charity, and how do we decide which causes to favor? According to researchers, despite the public push toward smarter giving, potential philanthropists are easily dissuaded by any sorts of facts and give most when we turn off our rational brains. Leon Neyfakh reports on a perplexing contradiction for those trying to donate well.
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Loved this piece. Nice survey of viewpoints across academia & professional charities. This is a question I think about all the time. My theorizing tends to go toward the prestige/power motivation. Having someone accept help from you give you a level up in the status game, etc. Of course that motiviation is buried to the point of imperceptibility under feelings of brotherhood. I think when we have an opportunity to rise up, our brain kind of turns off and we get a little high on the endorphins, and never really know why we're doing what we're doing.