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"Especially being an American" I have always heard the complete opposite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Giving_Index https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World

"Especially being an American" I have always heard the complete opposite. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Giving_Index https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Giving_Index https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/12/28/the_generosity_of_americans_139032.html https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/12/28/the_ge...

wahern 6y ago
Somewhere between 32% and 75% of American donations are to churches or church-affiliated organizations. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/30/religious-people-more-likely-give-charity-study/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/30/religious-p... Myanmar is an exceptionally devout Buddhist society with many monasteries supported through traditional almsgiving. I suspect that's why Myanmar tops even the U.S. in the World Giving Index, which merely asks whether you've donated money or time (volunteered). Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity.
- macspoofing 6y ago
  >Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity. I'm sure there are people who will find a way to invalidate this kind of charity. But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion. And it's the latter part that makes it different then those that pat themselves on the back for merely voting for higher taxes or disparage others for not voting for higher taxes.
  - wahern 6y ago
    > But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion. Absolutely, but I think that's pretty rare among the general population. IIUC, if I drop $10 into the offertory basket at Sunday Mass I'm counted just the same as a Mormon who tithes 10% of their income.
jedberg 6y ago
Most countries don't let you deduct your donations from your taxes. It's hard to compare levels of giving across nations because of this. A lot of people only donate to reduce their tax bill. Also, because we don't have a social safety net in the US, a lot of people donate to make up for that, which is certainly noble, but would be far less necessary if we had a stronger social safety net that more evenly distributed that wealth giveaway.
- Cerealkiller050 6y ago
  This is a good point. Unsure if that index referenced, or any other studies/reports on this subject, account for this in terms WHY the donation happened or motive. It does include willingness to help a stranger and volunteerism too, and those are ranked top 3 as well and doesn't reduce tax bills.
- ComputerGuru 6y ago
  With very few (and even then, extremely capped) exceptions, the US absolutely does not let you deduct donations from your taxes. You’re allowed to deduct your donations from your pre-tax income, which is equivalent to being able to deduct some percentage (typically less than 30%) of your donations from your actual tax burden. It’s not being pedantic; this changes the calculus altogether. Deducting from your taxes means you can say “oh well, I have to pay $1M in taxes, I might as well just use that money to make a donation to a charity of my choice and gain some PR instead,” whereas deducting your taxable income means “instead of parting with $1M in tax, I would need to part with $5M in charity to zero out my tax burden,” which is a very different decision and still largely a philanthropic one at some level or the other.
  - jedberg 6y ago
    This is a fair point, most people don't understand how tax deductions work. But yes, I meant your pre-tax income, as all deductions work. Credits apply to taxes directly, deductions always mean pre-tax income.
- triceratops 6y ago
  > A lot of people only donate to reduce their tax bill. It's still money gone from your pocket. It doesn't save you money overall.
read_if_gay_ 6y ago
Is that Giving Index skewed by American tipping culture at all?
- RandallBrown 6y ago
  I can't imagine it would be. Tips aren't charitable donations.
khalilravanna 6y ago
I have never heard the complete opposite so thanks for the data. It’s interesting because having grown up steeped in the culture for 30 years I have never once heard this or seen much real charitable action. I see small donations and token donations but very rarely anything like donating most of ones wealth or giving up excess to donate to those less well-off. I’d love to better understand this discrepancy. I hear more about how much money people spend more than how much they donate in the media. And even anecdotally I can’t think of anyone talking about a donation they made in conversation. It seems like this should be something we talk about and champion more.

wahern 6y ago

Somewhere between 32% and 75% of American donations are to churches or church-affiliated organizations. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/30/religious-people-more-likely-give-charity-study/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/oct/30/religious-p... Myanmar is an exceptionally devout Buddhist society with many monasteries supported through traditional almsgiving. I suspect that's why Myanmar tops even the U.S. in the World Giving Index, which merely asks whether you've donated money or time (volunteered). Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity.

macspoofing 6y ago
>Not that faith-based giving is inferior, but different people have different notions about what constitutes philanthropy and charity. I'm sure there are people who will find a way to invalidate this kind of charity. But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion. And it's the latter part that makes it different then those that pat themselves on the back for merely voting for higher taxes or disparage others for not voting for higher taxes.
- wahern 6y ago
  > But it takes a level of dedication, discipline and a moral code to take 10% of earnings for benefit of your community and do it without legal compulsion. Absolutely, but I think that's pretty rare among the general population. IIUC, if I drop $10 into the offertory basket at Sunday Mass I'm counted just the same as a Mormon who tithes 10% of their income.

jedberg 6y ago

Most countries don't let you deduct your donations from your taxes. It's hard to compare levels of giving across nations because of this. A lot of people only donate to reduce their tax bill. Also, because we don't have a social safety net in the US, a lot of people donate to make up for that, which is certainly noble, but would be far less necessary if we had a stronger social safety net that more evenly distributed that wealth giveaway.

Cerealkiller050 6y ago
This is a good point. Unsure if that index referenced, or any other studies/reports on this subject, account for this in terms WHY the donation happened or motive. It does include willingness to help a stranger and volunteerism too, and those are ranked top 3 as well and doesn't reduce tax bills.
ComputerGuru 6y ago
With very few (and even then, extremely capped) exceptions, the US absolutely does not let you deduct donations from your taxes. You’re allowed to deduct your donations from your pre-tax income, which is equivalent to being able to deduct some percentage (typically less than 30%) of your donations from your actual tax burden. It’s not being pedantic; this changes the calculus altogether. Deducting from your taxes means you can say “oh well, I have to pay $1M in taxes, I might as well just use that money to make a donation to a charity of my choice and gain some PR instead,” whereas deducting your taxable income means “instead of parting with $1M in tax, I would need to part with $5M in charity to zero out my tax burden,” which is a very different decision and still largely a philanthropic one at some level or the other.
- jedberg 6y ago
  This is a fair point, most people don't understand how tax deductions work. But yes, I meant your pre-tax income, as all deductions work. Credits apply to taxes directly, deductions always mean pre-tax income.
triceratops 6y ago
> A lot of people only donate to reduce their tax bill. It's still money gone from your pocket. It doesn't save you money overall.

read_if_gay_ 6y ago

Is that Giving Index skewed by American tipping culture at all?

RandallBrown 6y ago
I can't imagine it would be. Tips aren't charitable donations.

khalilravanna 6y ago

I have never heard the complete opposite so thanks for the data. It’s interesting because having grown up steeped in the culture for 30 years I have never once heard this or seen much real charitable action. I see small donations and token donations but very rarely anything like donating most of ones wealth or giving up excess to donate to those less well-off. I’d love to better understand this discrepancy. I hear more about how much money people spend more than how much they donate in the media. And even anecdotally I can’t think of anyone talking about a donation they made in conversation. It seems like this should be something we talk about and champion more.