Kaj_Sotala comments on Optimal Philanthropy for Human Beings - Less Wrong

36 Post author: lukeprog 25 July 2011 07:27AM

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Comment author: Kaj_Sotala 23 July 2011 06:34:53AM *  7 points [-]

So, should charities remind people that donating will make them happy?

I worry that this might actually have the opposite effect.

There was a time when I helped people due to an explicit goal to feel good about myself, and less because I cared about them. Over time, it changed to me helping them because I wanted to. But before it did, I actually got very little satisfaction out of helping them, because I knew I was just doing it for selfish reasons. I remember complaining about this to someone.

Comment author: [deleted] 23 July 2011 08:12:23AM 7 points [-]

Interesting. So it's essentially a Catch-22? You will feel happier if you donate, but only if you don't do it to feel happier. If this is true, wouldn't advertising the happiness aspect hurt donations?

Comment author: fburnaby 04 August 2011 08:40:31AM 1 point [-]

Either way, it seems easily testable.