The Rich Less Charitable Than Middle Class: Study

[Ridgerunner]

A good F150 will run about $40,000 - not exactly chump change.

Probably will. I don’t know. I drive my 1989 Chevy Silverado in the woods, breaks and fields as well as on the highway, and wouldn’t risk a $40,000 vehicle there for anything. Around here, you can get a decent pickup for $5,000-$6,000. If you want a nice extended cab, maybe $1,000 more. (The gun rack is extra) Now THOSE are gen-you-wine Ozark millionaire pickups.

 

[manualman]

A study was done years ago on this and from what I remember,

The most generous in giving to charities went as follows;

Most generous - 1 Conservative people with religious beliefs.

2 Liberal people with religious beliefs.

3 Liberal people with no religious beliefs

4 Conservatives with no religious beliefs.

I believe it 100%. But you have to admit that the real hypocrites in that list are #3. They recognize that there is an obligation to help the needy, but are unwilling to do it themselves. They just want somebody else to do it for them. Group #4 includes some real scoundrels, but it also includes some sincere (but mistaken) people who really believe that what the poor need is tough love so that they snap out of it, get off their duffs and make both some money and some self-respect. Not saying I agree, but at least their position is internally consistent. That subgroup’s real problem is that they probably really don’t KNOW any poor people or if they do, it’s not a representative sample.

 

[Swiss_Guy]

A study was done years ago on this and from what I remember,

The most generous in giving to charities went as follows;

Most generous - 1 Conservative people with religious beliefs.

                     2 Liberal people with religious beliefs.

                     3 Liberal people with no religious beliefs

                     4 Conservatives with no religious beliefs.

Jim

This seems right.

4 seems like the stereotypical rich guy who only cares for himself

3 are the modern day hypocritical Libs

2 Probably more likely lower middle class since generally people with more money are either not religious or they are conservative, so they have less money to give.

1 Are charitable and have more money than 2. Makes sense.

 

[didymus]

Here’s a story from Huffington Post based on the same study. A few quotes:

Wolfe said people in less religious states “view the tax money they’re paying not as something that’s forced upon them, but as a recognition that they belong with everyone else, that they’re citizens in the common good. … I think people here believe that when they pay their taxes, they’re being altruistic.”

So as tax day approaches liberals cry, “O joy! Now I can contribute to the common weal!”
Um, no. Since they are imetising I assume it is to minimise their tax burden.

_ People who earn $200,000 per year give a greater percentage to charity when they live in ZIP codes with fewer people who are as wealthy as they are.

Interesting.

_ People who earn between $50,000 and $75,000 annually give a higher percentage of their discretionary income to charity (7.6 percent) than those who make $100,000 or more (4.2 percent).

Even more interesting.

Btw, getting away from the rich/poor division, conservatives are more likely than liberals to donate blood, see freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2819987/posts

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I believe it 100%. But you have to admit that the real hypocrites in that list are #3. They recognize that there is an obligation to help the needy, but are unwilling to do it themselves. They just want somebody else to do it for them. Group #4 includes some real scoundrels, but it also includes some sincere (but mistaken) people who really believe that what the poor need is tough love so that they snap out of it, get off their duffs and make both some money and some self-respect. Not saying I agree, but at least their position is internally consistent. That subgroup’s real problem is that they probably really don’t KNOW any poor people or if they do, it’s not a representative sample.

I think you’re painting #3 with too broad of a brush, while giving #4 some kudos that there are nice people in that group.

Well guess what, there are nice people, hypocrites and scoundrels in all the groups.

Jim

 

[manualman]

I think you’re painting #3 with too broad of a brush, while giving #4 some kudos that there are nice people in that group.

Well guess what, there are nice people, hypocrites and scoundrels in all the groups.

Fair enough on the second part. I’m as susceptable to bias as you are. But I still say there’s a bit more fundamental hypocrisy in a philosophy that admits there are people in need that should be helped, but refuses to open their own wallets to help directly. As for ‘nice’ I gave up on that word a LONG time ago.