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I just finished reading "Discover Your Inner Economist" by Tyler Cowen. Copyright 2007. It was a so-so book, and not what I expected. I'll be writing a short review on Goodreads. But I wanted to post this quote somewhere. And LJ is the somewhere I have chosen.
"Few Americans give to Haiti, in part, because the suffering of the country receives less publicity. A coup d'etat makes the news, especially if there is American involvement. We see on the screen how poor the Haitians are, but that is not the main framing of the story. Haiti has not had many specific and identifiable natural catastrophes. In fact, given its location in the Caribbean, the island has had surprisingly good luck with regard to hurricanes. Some Haitians credit the voodoo spirits for their fortune. So why give to the tsunami victims but not the Haitians?"
That chapter is about why it's okay to give to the Cause of the Month, because it encourages other people to donate to it as well. So more charity is happening than otherwise would. As long as you don't neglect to also give to other charities that need your support on an ongoing basis.
He also talks about how it costs most charities to solicit donations more than they get back in donations. They're spending all this money, not for your 20$, but to rope in the person that will give maybe 20$ a month for years and years. And so if you want to really sock, say, the Republican Party (for a wild out of the air example), you'll send them like 20$ and then they'll waste money sending you all their mailings, and give your address to like causes who will also then waste money mailing you.
If you can get over the hurdle of having given them 20$! Erk! And can put up with Sarah Palin's face showing up in your mailbox on a regular basis. Ugh!
"Few Americans give to Haiti, in part, because the suffering of the country receives less publicity. A coup d'etat makes the news, especially if there is American involvement. We see on the screen how poor the Haitians are, but that is not the main framing of the story. Haiti has not had many specific and identifiable natural catastrophes. In fact, given its location in the Caribbean, the island has had surprisingly good luck with regard to hurricanes. Some Haitians credit the voodoo spirits for their fortune. So why give to the tsunami victims but not the Haitians?"
That chapter is about why it's okay to give to the Cause of the Month, because it encourages other people to donate to it as well. So more charity is happening than otherwise would. As long as you don't neglect to also give to other charities that need your support on an ongoing basis.
He also talks about how it costs most charities to solicit donations more than they get back in donations. They're spending all this money, not for your 20$, but to rope in the person that will give maybe 20$ a month for years and years. And so if you want to really sock, say, the Republican Party (for a wild out of the air example), you'll send them like 20$ and then they'll waste money sending you all their mailings, and give your address to like causes who will also then waste money mailing you.
If you can get over the hurdle of having given them 20$! Erk! And can put up with Sarah Palin's face showing up in your mailbox on a regular basis. Ugh!