The Paradox of Generosity: Giving We Receive, Grasping We Lose
Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson
Abstract
Generosity is paradoxical. Those who give, receive back in turn. In giving of ourselves for others’ well-being, we enhance our own well-being as well. In letting go of some of what we own, we actually increase our own security and sense of comfort. By giving away our own resources, we move ourselves toward flourishing. This is not only a philosophical or religious teaching. It is a sociological fact. Drawing on data from the Science of Generosity Initiative, including a nationally representative survey of two thousand Americans and in-depth qualitative interviews with forty households, this bo ... More
Generosity is paradoxical. Those who give, receive back in turn. In giving of ourselves for others’ well-being, we enhance our own well-being as well. In letting go of some of what we own, we actually increase our own security and sense of comfort. By giving away our own resources, we move ourselves toward flourishing. This is not only a philosophical or religious teaching. It is a sociological fact. Drawing on data from the Science of Generosity Initiative, including a nationally representative survey of two thousand Americans and in-depth qualitative interviews with forty households, this book examines the relationship between generosity and well-being. The generosity paradox can also be stated in the negative. By clinging to what we currently have, we lose out on pleasures that we might have gained. In keeping what we possess, we diminish its long-term value to us. By always protecting ourselves against future uncertainties and misfortunes, we are formed in ways that make us more anxious and actually more vulnerable to future misfortunes. In short, if we fail to care for others, we do not properly take care of ourselves. An examination of the survey and interview data reveals not only that generous practices, or a lack thereof, shape personal growth, purpose, health, and happiness, but also how generosity is linked with well-being.
Keywords:
generosity,
altruism,
well-being,
happiness,
purpose,
health,
volunteer work,
charitable giving
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2014 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780199394906 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: September 2014 |
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199394906.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
Christian Smith, author
University of Notre Dame
Hilary Davidson, author
University of Notre Dame
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