Did you know that Americans are the most giving society in the world? Americans give more money and time to non-profits than anywhere else and it is certainly a part of America's cultural and economic fabric.
People do stuff for different reasons but here are the most common reasons people give for giving.
1. Sympathy and empathy for those less fortunate
2. A sense of owing something back because of personal success or comfort
3. Because their faith leads them to
4. Because of a personal experience that binds kindered spirits
5. Because they once benefitted from similar support
6. To help national image and security
7. To help wean reliance on government
8. Because it just feels good and demonstrates a main living purpose
Sometimes we focus a lot on the obvious divisors in our country. Most of what we're subjected to and what we focus on draws our attention to one side or the other on arguments of education, politics, race, wealth, crime, law, medicine, insurance, etc. On almost every topic there seems to be a line drawn somewhere that frames arguments for one side or the other.
But when you look at the statistics of how Americans give of their time and money, it sure looks to me like we're the most homogenous group on the planet. No one economic class gives more as a percentage of their income than another. The same is true with geographic location, occupation, religion, or political belief. As a group we all give, we all volunteer, we all care. That's pretty awesome.
