Saturday, September 11, 2010

More On Giving and Happiness

Since I just mentioned it as a key to personal happiness, it was serendipitous to come across this newspaper article about giving in the Ottawa Citizen. Apparently both Canadians and Americans do quite well. I've pasted a few excerpts below, but you can read the whole article at The Ottawa Citizen's website.

Canada ranks third in a global "generosity" survey, in which the key overall finding is that being happy is a greater impulse for people to give their time and money to charity than being rich.

Canadians are on par with the Irish for giving, and surpassed only by the Australians and New Zealanders, according to the survey — the largest ever to study global charitable behaviour.

... it is important to recognize both giving of time as well as money since a simple measure of financial donations would, on the whole, make the wealthiest nations appear most charitable ...

On a regional basis, North Americans — defined by the study as Canadians and Americans collectively — are the most willing in the world to help strangers.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I saw that too A/C. Wonder where all that money went? You know, New Orleans, Haiti and now Pakistan. But I am like you I am proud we are givers, so far, don't know how long that will last.
QMM

Bernie said...

I always find it an honor to be able to help others in need or give of my time. I like to think most people are like that....... ah.... except for my brother.....lol honestly he has the first dollar he ever made.....:-)Hugs

Diana said...

I think that Americans are willing to help others because we are the melting pot of the world. We can sympathize with people that are in need. Love Di ♥