Bizarre, Society

“Greedy” Americans Donate $48B This Holiday Season

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Following the worst economy in a generation, Americans this year are poised to hand away $48 billion to the needy. In what must have pure capitalists scratching their heads, charitable donations are up more than 30% over last year. In fact, 74% of Americans are participating in the benevolence according to Convio Inc.’s annual year-end giving report.

“Digital technologies — such as email, online and social media — continue to play a key role in the evolution of fundraising and constituent interaction for nonprofits,” said Gene Austin, CEO of Convio. “Today’s donor is engaging with nonprofits through more channels than ever before.”

The average donation is $281.oo, with more affluent Americans chipping in almost $1000.00. Most donors give to multiple charities.

Kind of kills the stereotype of the harried American capitalist scurrying about with only himself on his mind. “Greed is good,” said Gordon Gecko in the movie, Wall Street. Charity is better, says me.

Source: Austin Business Journal

~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

12 thoughts on ““Greedy” Americans Donate $48B This Holiday Season”

  1. Seconded, SmallGuv. And I find it laughable that anyone would think it anti-capitalist to do with your hard-earned money what you want, including to help the less fortunate. Bill Gates is one of the biggest philanthropists on the planet.

  2. Blouise:

    “Many more people out in the stores than at this time one or two years ago.”

    Tell me about it,I made the mistake of running to a local best buys last night to get something for grandaughters notebook,lines of”paying” customers were snaking all through the store.

    So naturally I left an came home and went online,LOL!!

  3. eniobob,

    Gas is up over $3 a gallon here in northern Ohio … and that’s at the cheap places.

    Many more people out in the stores than at this time one or two years ago.

    Far more rail traffic and longer trains carrying semi-trailers.

  4. Buckeye:

    My summertime trips to Reading Pa. are about like yours as far as truck traffic.

    Today there were quite a few trucks more than I usually see,so thats good as you said.But the barometer for me is the Gas Prices
    Regular gas was $2.99 to $3.20 and normally gas has always been lower there,so that’s telling me that we here in Jersey will be paying that same price very, very soon.

  6. “In what must have pure capitalists scratching their heads, charitable donations are up more than 30% over last year.”

    As a capitalist I always prefer private voluntary giving over the government seizing my property to give to other under the threat of jail time.

  7. In what must have pure capitalists scratching their heads, charitable donations are up more than 30% over last year.

    So charity is anathema to those who selfishly earn a profit from their life’s work?

    Humans are inclined to be charitable, to the point of using government power to coerce charity from those around them. If they weren’t, how would democracies elect politicians who support transfers of tax revenue to the poor?

  8. Wow! They just gave the ex-homeless woman the $57 bucks and now this?

    As one after another safety valve of bourgeois democracy expires the vast proletariat has to rely increasingly upon charity rather than the social safety net they’ve earned through hard labor — harkening back to the Robber Baron days of a century pest.

    Notice also there’s been a not so subtle campaign in the commercial press & cable news lately of showing statistics & figures about how many billions in charity are declared by what in the 30’s used to be called “America’s Sixty Families” but now includes a diverese strata of armaments peddlers, commodity speculators, rentiers and now even “internetiers” (if I may coin a phrase).

    In the middle of these 2 historic & socially antagonistic classes (that will ultimately decide the trajectory of human evolution & this planet’s sustainability) lies the petty bourgeoisie, that ever shrinking middle class being slapped now from the right, now from the left, but in this era of triumphant world reaction reminiscant of the late 30’s, the middle appears to be stampeding largely to the right, that is, the base of the tea beaggers.

  9. “God loveth a cheerful giver.”

    A trip to Michigan in July – very few trucks on the interstates.

    A trip to Michigan in November – lots of trucks on the interstates.

    Something good is happening. Let’s hope it continues.

  10. That is great news. With retail sales up, it is good to know that people are also engaging in charitable giving.

  12. Will be leaving out in about an hour to drive to Reading,Pa. to pick up the 8 year old Queen of the klan,see you all when I get back.

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