American Generosity

[PhineasJWhoopee]

Americans give more than the citizens of any other country. Individually, Americans give seven times more than Germany and fourteen times more Italy. Americans also volunteer more.

Why do you think that is?

 

[Numenorean]

Tax breaks.

 

[Numenorean]

Also:

America: 307,006,550
Germany: 82,110,097
Italy: 59,832,179

 

[waggy]

i would like to see numbers of given by population.

but nearly everyone i know gives something. We give monthly to ST. jude's children hospital and the local food banks.

 

[Terzo]

We are quite stingy

I always see Gayner talking about our piss poor % of GDP that goes to donations, so I just picked up the first link I could find. Point being, compared to the many other countries we aren't that generous.

This is for foreign aid though, I'm not sure how the situation changes if you look at things domestically.

 

[techs]

Americans give more than the citizens of any other country. Individually, Americans give seven times more than Germany and fourteen times more Italy. Americans also volunteer more.

Why do you think that is?

Because you're wrong. If you take into account what both the people and the government give, and then factor in population and GDP the US gives one of the least amounts.

 

[Born2bwire]

I think it's because of Atheists. Not believing in an afterlife means that you have to make the best of things while we are still alive. Thus, Atheists do the most to improve the quality of life of those around them.

 

[Gibson486]

your name should be troll bait, or mad troller

 

[Inspector Jihad]

its not unusual to see op being pwnd by facts and stats.

 

[SlitheryDee]

We are quite stingy

I always see Gayner talking about our piss poor % of GDP that goes to donations, so I just picked up the first link I could find. Point being, compared to the many other countries we aren't that generous.

This is for foreign aid though, I'm not sure how the situation changes if you look at things domestically.

I'm not sure how much I'd trust that link. The writer, "Vexen Crabtree", appears to be quite the strange cat. He has a link to a satanist apologist site written by himself among other things.

I don't understand why this has to be a percentage of the GDP to mean anything. It's not tithing. Do we give the most in straight dollars or not? Seems like using the percentage of the GDP to make a graph is just a way to make the US come out near the bottom for political reasons.

 

[Terzo]

I'm not sure how much I'd trust that link. The writer, "Vexen Crabtree", appears to be quite the strange cat. He has a link to a satanist apologist site written by himself among other things.

I don't understand why this has to be a percentage of the GDP to mean anything. It's not tithing. Do we give the most in straight dollars or not? Seems like using the percentage of the GDP to make a graph is just a way to make the US come out near the bottom for political reasons.

I'll admit I didn't look into it that much. I don't really care, so I just pulled up the first link I could find with google. I'm sure Gayner can supply better information provided he drops by.

As much as I am loathe to use analogies, it is the only way I can think of to explain my take on the % of GDP. I see it as comparing someone who makes $100/day to someone makes $1000/day. If they both donate $10 a day, that's 10% from person A but 1% from person B, so you could argue person A is more generous.

 

[htwingnut]

If US is so stingy then maybe we should just close our borders and let all these other countries rot altogether. I'd rather see our suffering cities and families here taken care of first. But no, US is expected to offer all this aid and assistance. Even if donations are for tax reasons its inctivized that way so people DO give. Not many people give just give as much as you'd like it to be that way.

You could look at it by % of GDP but you could also look at it as % of population.

 

[moshquerade]

:heart: America

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I think it's because of Atheists. Not believing in an afterlife means that you have to make the best of things while we are still alive. Thus, Atheists do the most to improve the quality of life of those around them.

I'm trying to figure out if this is sarcasm.

As a whole Atheists give less and participate less often in community services. Not that it matters much to me, but if you are serious, you need to rethink your statement.

 

[datalink7]

I'm trying to figure out if this is sarcasm.

As a whole Atheists give less and participate less often in community services. Not that it matters much to me, but if you are serious, you need to rethink your statement.

ppssst... he said that to annoy the OP....

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Americans give more than the citizens of any other country. Individually, Americans give seven times more than Germany and fourteen times more Italy. Americans also volunteer more.

Why do you think that is?

Mostly because in Germany and Italy the support is given by the state rather than by individual private organisations.

All in all, if i remember correctly, the US is WAY behind all other nations when it comes to actually supporting other nations without it just being welfare for national corporations abroad.

All in all, per GDP, you give 1/8'th of what Germany gives and 1/6'th of what Italy gives.

If you are going to compare a nation to another nation, you kinda have to go by GDP.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

ppssst... he said that to annoy the OP....

Jolly good then. Carry on!

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

I'm trying to figure out if this is sarcasm.

As a whole Atheists give less and participate less often in community services. Not that it matters much to me, but if you are serious, you need to rethink your statement.

I think that Atheists participate less in spreading the "word" and more in actually helping, you do realise that about 99% of doctors without borders are Atheists and about 80% of all help workers who are trained in anything more than preaching the "word" are Atheists?

You should also take a look at what those who preach the "word" actually do, missionaries have been known to prop up groups like the LRA, that is hardly helping anyone.

So while he probably was just taunting Phillipine yahoo he was unintentionally very right.

 

[tatteredpotato]

The rest of the world, as a whole, are jerks to America... why should we feel obliged to give them money then?

Of course I don't know if the rest of the world really hates us as much as the TV makes me think they do though.

 

[ElFenix]

We are quite stingy

I always see Gayner talking about our piss poor % of GDP that goes to donations, so I just picked up the first link I could find. Point being, compared to the many other countries we aren't that generous.

This is for foreign aid though, I'm not sure how the situation changes if you look at things domestically.

i believe that's .gov aid

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I think that Atheists participate less in spreading the "word" and more in actually helping, you do realise that about 99% of doctors without borders are Atheists and about 80% of all help workers who are trained in anything more than preaching the "word" are Atheists?

You should also take a look at what those who preach the "word" actually do, missionaries have been known to prop up groups like the LRA, that is hardly helping anyone.

So while he probably was just taunting Phillipine yahoo he was unintentionally very right.

Like I said I don't really care, but most of the work done in Haiti and New Orleans which wasn't government funded was by people who aren't atheistic. In case he was serious I just wanted him to know how it was. Since it was a jab at the OP who IMO brings these things up to bait people I expect a good bit of sarcasm

 

[olds]

If US is so stingy then maybe we should just close our borders and let all these other countries rot altogether. I'd rather see our suffering cities and families here taken care of first. But no, US is expected to offer all this aid and assistance. ...

This works for me.
Every time I see charities for foreigners I think: "WTF, we have no needy people here?"

I have money that comes out of my check every month for the United Way. Been doing it for 20 years.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Like I said I don't really care, but most of the work done in Haiti and New Orleans which wasn't government funded was by people who aren't atheistic. In case he was serious I just wanted him to know how it was. Since it was a jab at the OP who IMO brings these things up to bait people I expect a good bit of sarcasm

True, most of those over there stealing children are missionaries of the Catholic persuasion, however almost all other help workers are part of secular organisations so no one really knows what their persuasion is.

NO rescue was mostly from the Islamic community though, wasn't it?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

This works for me.
Every time I see charities for foreigners I think: "WTF, we have no needy people here?"

I have money that comes out of my check every month for the United Way. Been doing it for 20 years.

I don't know why but you made me think of this.

 

[Fenixgoon]

let me know when some other country has a support fleet ready within a few days to provide immediate aid and logistical support after natural disasters.