Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford Get Happier, Help Others: Some Good Ideas About Giving
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Dec 2, 2024 
Jacob Goldstein, host of Pushkin's What's Your Problem?, and Laurie Santos, a Yale psychologist known for The Happiness Lab, dive into the science of giving and happiness. They reveal that spending money on others boosts personal happiness more than spending it on oneself. Listeners learn about impactful charities and how poker players view generosity. With practical tips, they explore how acts of kindness can transform both individuals and communities, highlighting the joy found in altruism.
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Giving Tuesday Cynicism
- Jacob Goldstein is cynical about Giving Tuesday, seeing it as artificial.
- However, research shows giving benefits both givers and receivers.
$20 Happiness Study
- Elizabeth Dunn's study gave people $20 to spend on themselves or others.
- Those who spent on others reported higher happiness levels, contradicting initial predictions.
Impact and Happiness
- Giving to charity boosts happiness, even without visible impact.
- Seeing the impact increases happiness, but any giving is beneficial.