Study: Poor Are More Charitable Than The Wealthy

[BridgeTheGap]

Huge charity commitments often get headlines -- like the ones Bill Gates and Warren Buffett collected for convincing 40 billionaires to donate at least half of their fortunes. But Paul Piff, a psychology researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, tells host Guy Raz about his studies, which show that poor people are actually more charitable than the rich.

GUY RAZ, host:

And speaking of charity, 40 billionaires announced this past week that they'll give at least half their fortunes to charity. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett unveiled the list, which also includes Larry Ellison, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and George Lucas. The total promise so far: $125 billion.

So you might assume that when it comes to giving, the rich are generally better at it than the rest of us. That's what Paul Piff, a psychologist at U.C. Berkeley, also thought. So he carried out a study and just published his findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Paul Piff, welcome to the program.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129068241

[burnsei sensei]

1. This isn't a trend.

In every survey concerning charitable giving, the poor themselves always give more to charity.
ALWAYS.

[mike r]

2. Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle...

And the French tried to speed up the process using guillotines.

[aquart]

3. Do you think they would license the guillotine patent to an American factory?

Just considering the economic possibilities.

[Scuba]

11. I assume you're referring to severance packages?

[zipplewrath]

4. Strange personal experience

My car broke down going home from work on the major interstate here. It really wasn't a big deal, just a hassle. It was a 2 year old BMW (318 ti). Several, I'd actually say many, people I did not know stopped to ask if I needed help. They were all cars older and cheaper than mine. These were people who obviously made much less money than I do. Now mind you, many people I work with drive this same road. And the next day, several said they had "saw" me, but none of them stopped. And no other BMW's, Jags, Lexus, Infinity, etc. pulled over. It was all 8+ year old cars and trucks with rust and bad tires and collapsing head liners.

Now, one can think of several cultural reason why this might be so. People with money saw a person of means and know that ultimately I'll deal with the situation. People without the same amount of means just see a person broken down and presume it's the same hassle for me as it is for them. People with means have alot to lose by "helping" the wrong person, whereas those with little to lose per se worry less about losing it.

But I think I know the real reason, people who have means basically get that way by being "smart with a dollar" and there aren't many ways that we suggest to people that charity is being "smart with a dollar". Those who may occasionally be on the receiving end of charity however, probably see being "smart with a dollar" as something that comes after charity, not the other way around.

[unblock]

7. also, a lot of people who drive nice cars have no idea how to fix them.

the kind of people who are knowledgeable about how to fix cars, or at least identify the problem, often aren't able to afford the best vehicles. in part this is because mechanics don't get paid a ton, and in part this is because people strapped for cash might find it worth their while to learn how to fix their own car.

[zipplewrath]

9. Especially minor "fixes"

They might be more likely to have jumper cables, or a gas can to get you up and running again. The guy in the BMW probably ain't hauling around a gas can in the trunk.

[Scuba]

5. Don't forget to add Cheney's contribution. Zero.

Same as the number of days he served in the military.

[Donnachaidh]

6. the poor aren't looking for positive pr when they give to charity

Nor are they looking for massive tax deductions when they give. Bill Gates became a billionaire by running roughshod over smaller companies, and running a monopoly. So he's now looking to clean up his *image* by offering some coinage, knowing full well the tax deductions he's going to rake in - and the FACT that he'll make that money back (and then some) in no time at all.

[Wednesdays]

8. Luke 21:1-4

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

(King James Version)

[ThomCat]

10. It was always the poor I was doing volunteer work with too.

The only time I EVER saw anyone with money doing volunteer work it was court ordered community service.

I have posted this before. It bares repeating. By the time I had to stop doing my volunteer work I had over 5,000 work-hours of volunteer work under my belt. I had done a lot of volunteer work in a lot of different places with a lot of different people.

All the people who work to pay our bills, and still find time to go out and help other people in our free time, we are poor people.

[JoeyT]

14. +1

Same experience here. I've worked with hundreds of people doing volunteer work and the only person I ever worked with that made over $100k a year was there because he had court ordered community service. And he spent the entire time complaining and being in the way.

I guess maybe our time isn't as valuable? ;)

[RufusTFirefly]

12. My personal anecdotal experience totally supports this

One summer during college, I worked for a community action group that was campaigning to lower utility rates. I'd spend five nights a week knocking on doors in all sorts of neighborhoods. It was a largely positive experience. Many people welcomed me into their homes and almost no one slammed a door in my face.

One night a man with a fancy car and fancy house heard my pitch and then said beatifically, "You know, I think I'm going to give you a contribution." He handed me a quarter. This was in a neighborhood where the typical contribution was $10.

Another night, I spoke to a woman who actually made ends meet taking in her neighbors' washing. When I learned her situation, I didn't want anything. But she insisted and came back with a pile of coins. They were easy to keep track of because they were the only coins I received that night (and, except for the rich man's quarter, the only coins I ever received). When I counted them up at the end of the evening, they totaled more than $10.

[caraher]

13. Dude gave you a quarter 'cuz he didn't have a penny

That wasn't a contribution, it was meant as an insult.

[raccoon]

15. Yes. What an asshole. nt

[groovedaddy]

16. More on this topic, a bit old but still relevant

Generosity And Income

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_11_24/ai_95309979/