Why do NON-AMERICAN call americans GREEDY?

Question

Americans give record $295B to charity

"Individuals gave a combined 75.6% of the total".

It tells you something about American culture that is unlike any other country," said Claire Gaudiani, a professor at NYU's Heyman Center for Philanthropy and author of The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism. Gaudiani said the willingness of Americans to give cuts across income levels, and their investments go to developing ideas, inventions and people to the benefit of the overall economy.

Gaudiani said Americans give TWICE as much as the next most charitable country, according to a November 2006 comparison done by the Charities Aid Foundation. In philanthropic giving as a percentage of gross domestic product, the U.S. ranked first at 1.7%. No. 2 Britain gave 0.73%, while France, with a 0.14% rate, trailed such countries as South Africa, Singapore, Turkey and Germany.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-06-25-charitable_N.htm

"I figured conservatives were hard-headed, pragmatic, tough-minded but didn't care as much about others and wouldn't donate as much," he said. "I figured liberals were soft-hearted and cared more."

What he found was that self-described conservatives were "a percentage point or two" more likely to give to charity than self-described liberals. That was surprising enough, he thought.

But what really astounded him was the amount of giving: In 2000, he says, conservative households gave 30 percent more money to charity than liberal households.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/298992_givemoney10.html

Answer 1

The USA is the most generous nation on the planet

Americans put the lesser nations to shame when it comes to charity

Answer 2

First off, I am not a liberal or a socialist. I am an ex-conservative (I now consider myself a "realist" or "pragmatist" because there are no conservatives left in U.S. politics, except maybe Chuck Hagel). I do believe people should work for a living and that communism is a BAD thing. However, your argument is deeply flawed. As someone said in another post (and I actually agree with this) even the poorest Americans are rich by International standards. A homeless man in Florida can expect to get free meals and shelter, whereas hard working Africans might not get either. Furthermore, the idle rich here (notice I didn't say ALL the rich) who contribute nothing (like certain drunken celeb daughters) often live way beyond a reasonable standard of lifestyle. You may say, who defines such a standard? Nature defines it. We need food, clothing, shelter, basic medical care, and something to do. We don't need 20 limousine Hummers and a 300 room mansion on the French Riviera. In fact, we don't even need ONE Hummer or a $600,000 house. Have you noticed how the size of homes has increased dramatically since the 1940's and 50's (even 70's)? Do you think people are happier now? I do believe that MANY (not most) Americans are greedy. Look at all the unnecessary SUV's driving around which are nothing but status symbols and which have contributed to the deaths of 3000 American troops in Iraq by worsening gas prices and enriching Islamic terror supporters. And look at the increase in fat people in the U.S. over the last few decades. We take our cheap, low-quality food for granted.
Americans give more than anyone else because they have more than anyone else. Bill Gates, until recently the richest person in the world, also gave the most (and it's been said that he is an Atheist or Agnostic). But there are plenty of wealthy businesspeople who only give a drop in the bucket or only give to causes which aren't really helping the unfortunate. It doesn't show up in the statistics because we are SO MUCH RICHER than just about anybody else.
If you understood how the so-called "Free Market" has driven down wages and eliminated jobs just about everywhere (not just here in the U.S.) maybe you would understand the resentment we get from foreigners. I am a Capitalist and not ashamed to be one, but my biggest criticism of the "Free Market" is that it isn't free at all, and in fact it is empowering our greatest potential rival (China). The Chinese don't have to abide by the labor, health, and environmental standards that domestic U.S. employers (or E.U.) have to obey. Therefore, they get most of the business, and in the meantime the quality of life for many of their citizens declines, while American workers have been driven out of a job. And the Chinese government, not some private investor, reaps the profits of this system, which are immediately consumed to build weapons pointed at the U.S. Tell me, how is that conservative? Unfortunately, it's the American consumer who is to blame, because we are deeply in lust with cheap stuff at the lowest possible price, most of which we wouldn't want if we woke up and realized we didn't need it.
What's the answer? Two things: we have to become less materialistic and more aware as consumers, and we have to push for trade agreements that hold ALL parties to the same standards (financial, trade, labor, environmental, and health-wise). That means U.S. laws will apply to companies in Mexico and China who import goods, just as Chinese laws will apply to U.S. companies who export goods. Otherwise, no sale. I'm afraid that's a tall order, since we can't even agree on the basics in our own country.

Answer 3

I don't believe Americans are Greedy and I already knew how giving they were, when Oprah did her Angel Network shows some years back.
Fact remains, that American TV is successful all across the Globe, but can also be held responsible for the Image of America and its people. Worst reputation I imagine come from Stand up Comedy (which ever comes first) drawing , and), Rogue cops series on Dutch TV channels. Perhaps the image endless repeats, wipe out every sensible thread of the idea that Americans are people, instead of Jack Bauer, the extreme special agent.
Perhaps the rest of the World begrudges US, for the fibs and fabrications, that lead to hyper tensions in the diplomatic area, that can not be avoided in on Information depending plan bureau Governments. There is always a culprit for the Senate committee who has been caught trying to cover up ink stains on the Top Secret envelopes, by exchanging today´s orders for the ones made on Ground Hog Day.
That is what we see on TV.....Made good viewing here as well... Authorities planting evidence on people with righteous arguments is as old as the Maid of Orleans burning by inconvenience

Answer 4

Because America is a 'rich' country, with a comparatively (compared to developing countries that is) strong currency.

An American might demand $9 an hour to do a job that someone in an 'impoverished' country might happily do for local currency that is valued in financial cirles at the equivalent of $4 per day. But, if the 'rich' American is living where I live, that $9 an hour will barely cover his rent, food, and transportation expenses, leaving him nothing to save for his future, while the 'poor' person in the developing country has a place to live and is able to feed his family of 6 on his 4 bucks a day.

Form the outside, the American looks increadibly rich, and, since he /demands/ such high wages, greedy.

Answer 5

Simple
If you have and they do not they want all and more of what you do have. To do this they use three tactics. 1. Sympathy to get you feeling guilt and give it up, 2, shame how can you let this be .3. guilt as you have not given it up so, than they think they can gain more and by attacking.
This is called many names jealousy, but it boils down to a narcissist view that thinks that you can not have more than then.
Democrats use this in pandering to poor instead of self motivation to achieve own one will. The UN is the same and the Communist all do this to gain power and slam the USA which is built on self determination and will to be better and this doe's not fit the mold of the left as thy think only they are smart enough and you and I are not.
To Bad I will never give in to this and I do may part to help others that will turn around and pass this on. Pay Froward. But never to those with a mentality of entitlement. Never.

Answer 6

Tie this all into tax breaks, and I think that is why many give.
When a person "really gives" they are not expecting anything back and know they will not receive anything back to gain in return. Our tax system was created to keep the rich, richer.
Also a twisted system is our welfare, section 8, etc. which are all systems created to keep the poor down and controlled. It is a twisted system that many think is helpful, but there is an underlying reason it is created. Many who donate millions, and billions, have something to gain. Many do give from the heart, so I do not want to be unfair.
May blessings chase the righteous.

Answer 7

Sorry you lost me on this one.

The amount of giving is a number and number games cut both ways.

Let take a hypothetical situation where a billionaire who made his money threw his greed in the software industry set up foundations in his name an only contributes a small percent of his wealth.

Or another hypothetical situation where a fat ugly talk show host buys viewers by giving things away, just to increase her overinflated popularity.

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Johny is greedy and takes 10 apples from an orchard ( knowing he could never eat more then 4), Sally only takes two, Johny gives two to Cindy, and Sally gives one to Sam? Who was more charitable, who is a greedy pig?

Answer 8

I think there's some envy there because we're the wealthiest.
But we're also a capitalistic, buy/sell-at-all-costs country that can seem pretty shallow and self-centered at times.

And all they get is the persepective of our liberal-leaning media, which always "looks out" for the poor and have-nots. So of course they're going to develop an antipathy toward our system in general.

Answer 9

Because we have so very much. But we are not greedy. America does more for other people that are not Americans than any other country. How many other countries have given us aid ($) when New Orleans was hit by Katrina? That would be a good question to post.

Answer 10

Everyone's entitled to their opinions, right or wrong. Some of the greediest 19th century robber barons became philanthropists, so the fact that Americans give to charity does not mean they are not greedy. And, although Americans are generous, the figures you quote are inflated to include all the money which is given to churches in the US, and the article you link to is an opinion piece by a very opinionated conservative.