do people donate money to charity because they feel guilty?

Question

or because they genuinely belive it will make a difference

Answer 1

I think a lot of people donate to charities they think will affect them or that they do feel bad about... I work within the support divisions for a national UK charity for homelessness and whilst we get a lot of income each year, we can't compete with medical charities (cancer, heart, lungs etc) or ones involving children. So to some extent giving to charity is not about guilt but about giving to people that catch our heart and a little bit of selfishness.

Answer 2

I believe that when people donate to an organization that ostensibly helps the poor they do so in a naivebelief that it will make a difference in someone's life but unwittingly they don't consider the enormous overhead that these organizations grapple with. Individuals who have an enormous amount of wealth who can engage in major work of philanthropy like Bill Gates do so for public relations, to do a positive act in the world, and perhaps to really make a difference in the world and their contributions do have merit. Then there are those who will put a coin or two in a beggar's cup. Maybe they do, for the most part, give from guilt; but then is guilt so bad? To see that the world is not an equal place and to feel a sense of pain and embarassment in it not being such is not really such a bad trait to have is it? There are rare individuals who feel a true sense of compassion and such people really want to improve the lives of others but these benefactors are few and far between. Most people, even in friendship, engage in it with the quid pro quo response that Plato admonishes us of. They only are friends with others in this motto of "Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" or as if they are making a commercial transaction. Great men are those who in all their actions seek to be compassionate and seek to be friends with others not for their own sake but knowing that it is virtuous to give to others and not expect anything in return and who is more deserving of friendship than those who have been treated roughly in the vicissitudes of life and as they are now down are shunned by the multitude?

Answer 3

I donate money to charity because i do genuinely believe and hope it makes a difference to someones life,i`m not rich myself..far from it in fact,but i do believe there`s always someone worse of than yourself.Childrens charities especially touch my heart and i suppose i do feel a bit a guilty knowing there`s children out there who aren`t being brought up in the same loving,caring enviroment as my own child,every child deserves to feel loved and secure in their home but thats not always the case.

Answer 4

I give to the cancer society because I've lost a lot of family members to cancer, my own mother had breast cancer when I was a child that she beat, and I've beaten cancer myself. It's a family-trait I'd like to see obliterated from the earth. As for other charities, I only donate if a friend / family member is in charge of getting funds and not due to guilt or that I think it'll make a difference.

Answer 5

We donate to Guide Dogs twice a year, we have a blind friend and we have seen what a difference his dog makes to his life and we know that without charitable donations people in the same situation as him wouldn't have the freedom they do, their dogs are their lifelines both in the house and the outside world, its a very good charity and gives people their life's back.

Answer 6

I'm afraid I work on the basis that I already pay enough in taxes, so why should I give away some of what's left? I've no REAL way of knowing where it's going, and from what the media tells me I haven't got a great deal of trust as to whom will eventually get the money.

Answer 7

i've raised a fair bit of money over the last couple of years for charity..but none for guilt...i work as a nurse and constantly see people worse of than me....or people that are percieved worse of by society. i just want to do a bit to help these people out and make thier lives a enyoyable and "normal" as possible...

Answer 8

I would hope that people donate money or other things to charities out of the goodness of our hearts...not out of guilt...some may give because of guilt...that to me is another entire problem in itself...
~Peace~

Answer 9

id say a bit of both judging from my own experience ... i was thinking bout signing up to a charity for ages but i got cornered by those people on the street who talk and talk and talk to you for fifteen minutes wen really all you wanna do is sign the bloody form and get on with it. so im now a memeber of oxfam (and i was feeling guilty that day because i had just bought 2 weekend camping oxegen tickets for €320!)

Answer 10

No, people give money to charity because they want to make a difference directly by giving from their bank account or by raising money with foundraising event, or challenge etc...