When giving makes you feel good

Dr Salvatore LaSpada (what a lovely name) had a plaintive piece in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph about how little we Brits give to charity. America gives away 1.7 per cent of it’s GDP to good causes, he says, so what’s with our pitiful 0.7? Giving is great! says LaSpada encouragingly, “It’s the best fun you’ll ever have!”  Whoa there Dr S! But he’s right of course, giving does generally feel good, so there’s probably a decent reason why we don’t. And the reason I think is actually quite simple. It’s not that we’ve contracted our consciences out to the State, or that we’re intrinsically mean, but rather that Big Charity has taken over in the UK, and donating to Big Charity is no fun. Unless like Dr S & his pals, you’ve got a few million to give, it’s like adding a pipette-full of water to a swimming pool and about as useful.