A weekly
feature of The New York Times Magazine is
a column by Randy Cohen called “The Ethicist,”
in which people raise ethical questions to which Cohen provides answers.
The question below is from the column that appeared on April 4, 2003.
At
my high school, various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives, asking
students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus
points on tests and final averages as incentives to participate. Some parents
believe that this sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of
charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K. ?
The
practice of offering incentives for charitable acts is widespread, from school
projects to fund drives by organizations such as public television stations, to
federal income tax deductions for contributions to charities. In a well-written
essay, develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable
acts. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation,
and/or experience.
What does it mean to be charitable? To be charitable simply means selflessly assisting those who are in need. Proverbs 19:17 states, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” This bible verse relates to this ethical dilemma because God The Father is one who rewards those participating in charitable acts. However, teachers rewarding their students with better grades are simply taking the meaning out of a truly good charitable act.
ReplyDeleteThe true goodness of a charitable act comes directly from the intention of the individual. For example, as many of you are aware, I traveled to Punta Cana on a family trip this past February. While their, my family and I were able to have the opportunity to experience a snorkeling excursion on a private boat with personal guides. After spending hours on the boat with these kindhearted people, we were able to learn more about their life story in the Dominican. Both men only saw their family once every three months and struggled with horrible living conditions back home, as well as been treated like slaves while at work. My family has found them on a social media cite in order to communicate with them. We have decided to send old and unwanted clothes and other useful items to their homes for there daughters who are in need. Once we informed them of this act we had planned on performing, tears streamed down their faces, and they told us anything we decided to send them would be put to use. By the end of the excursion, one of the guides had my fathers Pour House Bar and Grill collared shirt on, and my father had on a shirt that said captain across the front. We had not only left the excursion, but we had left smiles on the faces of people in need. This charitable act felt as if it was God’s plan for our family to meet these people and perform these charitable acts for them.
If the intention of a student is to help people in need then they are doing truly charitable acts and doing what God has made them for, helping others selflessly. However, if students are bringing canned foods for a better grade then they are simply helping themselves. Students must be more focused on their reward in heaven rather than rewards on earth because what they do on earth for themselves will not satisfying them after their journey on earth.
Emily, I thought your blog this weekend was really good. The anecdote from your vacation was so nice! That action really captured what charity is all about perfectly. Great job!
DeleteLike Sophie said, I loved your example of the personal guides and how it affected you and your family. It was the perfect argument of why donation should be selfless. Great job!
DeleteEmily, I think this is one of the few times where someone used anecdotal evidence and it's a nice addition to your essay. It's interesting to see a theological perspective on charity because I wouldn't have thought of it in such a way.
DeleteThis is a fantastic example Emily! This is the essence of being charitable.
DeleteThat’s a beautiful example of true charity. It fit in perfectly with our blog this weekend, and was well written. Well done!
DeleteI believe that people, especially in the Saint Marys community, generally have an inclination to be charitable. Charity is giving something to others, be it clothes, time, or money, without expectations of a reward in return. A charitable act is done for unselfish reasons, keeping the people the act will be benefiting in mind. That being said, I believe that using a reward as an incentive to promote charitable actions, goes against the meaning of charity and completely defeats the purpose.
ReplyDeleteAlthough incentives to increase donations for charity drives, the practice of offering incentives for charitable actions is quite unethical. A major problem with this new attitude toward charity is that it encourages the ‘what’s in it for me’ mindset people tend to have. This mindset is incredibly toxic in schools because children are more likely to adopt this attitude quicker. This is why offering bonus points on exams in exchange for donating to a sponsored charity drive is an unethical idea for schools to adopt. This could also be applied to our dress down days we have at ECC. Students are allowed to dress down only if they bring in a dollar or more for the organization the school has picked for that month. Giving the donation then becomes little about the actual charity and more about the students and their clothing. This is to the point that most people, myself included, aren’t really even sure what charity the money is going to that month. If ECC held a monthly charity collection but didn’t offer the dress down day as a reward, how many students would still donate money?
Offering incentives for charitable actions is also unethical because it distracts from the real meaning of the action. For example, if a business asks customers to donate to the food bank and if they do, they’ll get a discount on their purchase, the customer forgets all about the reason why they’re donating the food and instead focuses on how donating benefits them. Charity has to be done with the sole intention of benefitting the organization. This is the harder path, but it is the one that enriches the person the most.
Even the Bible shows us how we are supposed to conduct our charitable acts. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Deuteronomy 15:10 says, “You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “so let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” Not only does the Bible show us why to give, but it shows us exactly how we should give.
Charity is all about giving selflessly. By offering incentives for charitable actions, the selfless aspect of charity is taken away, and the charity then becomes all about ‘what’s in it for me.’ Charity should be about others, not the self.
Sophie, I enjoyed your bog this week! I like how you mentioned St. Mary’s and also mentioned the Bible. Well done!
DeleteYou perfectly put your argument into words in ways that I could not. I really enjoyed reading this, as always! Nice job, Sophie!
DeleteSophie interestingly enough, I think you and I have the same perspective on the monthly dress down days. I think it's dumb to incentivize students to "selflessly give" when in all reality it's just a selfish act because they're getting something in return. It's rather paradoxical is it not? I think the only thing that you missed in that paragraph was that a majority of ECC students don't have a job so they just ask their parents for money to dress down. This puts parents in quite the sticky situation because if they don't give the kid the money then their kid is an outcast and if they do then they're teaching their kids incorrect values. I know this is an uncommon opinion, but maybe we should just remove the dress down portion from our monthly donation day.
DeleteGreat post Sophie. I think most of us will agree with you on dress down days. It's unfortunate, really.
DeleteRandy Cohen raises an extremely important ethical question in his article “The Ethicist” of “Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K.?” To answer his looming question, donations in exchange for grades are not as justifiable as one may believe. The purpose of school sponsored charity donation is so students can become active in a selfless community and learn the growing importance of helping others, However, when students are promised points in exchange for donations, schools are taking away the true meaning of the purpose of donation. Students lose their selfless nature and doing it completely blind. The actual act of donation is not as genuine or generous. In the Bible, in Acts 20:35, it is said, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
ReplyDeleteGiving students rewards for donating is similar to rewarding students for good behavior. Both acts of donation and behaving well are not something that every person does, however they do not need rewarded. In the short term, rewarding such behaviors may promote more active participation in both, but it does not truly change who they are as people in the long run. The lasting effect is that donation is less desirable and, again, the purpose is lost.
I believe that teachers rewarding students for donation takes away any selfless motivation that students could have had. It makes students forget the true meaning of their donation and turns a selfless act into a selfish one. Charity is meant to help others who can not help themselves, however rewarding students with bonus points for donating is making them selfish, only helping themselves.
Carly, I thought your blog was very well written this weekend. I enjoyed how you brought up the point of “giving rewards for donating is similar to rewarding students for good behavior.” It made me think. Great job!
DeleteCarly, I though you did a nice job on your blog. I liked how you included a Bible quote. I really liked your sentence when you said, “The lasting effect is that donation is less desirable and, again, the purpose is lost.” I think that truly is a common thought that enters people’s minds when they think about charity. It goes back to the thought process, “what do I get out of it?” My only recommendation would be it would have been nice if it was longer, however, the length sufficed. Good job.
DeleteThe Bible quote was a nice touch. I realized that I should’ve probably incorporated a Bible quote into my blog after reading yours.
DeleteThis flows extremely well and I truly enjoyed reading it because of the neat wording you used. The quote you used is perfect for your argument. Relating it to rewarding students for good behavior also makes this very understandable. Great work!
Delete-Regis
DeleteThroughout history, society and humanity have developed from being selfless and charitable to selfish and greedy. This has lead up into modern day society where everyone is asking themselves "how can I benefit from [place action here]," which truly reveals how selfish we all are. Likewise, there are charitable drives that are being held in schools and students are being incentivized to donate in order to receive bonus points to boost their final grade point average and adults are being incentivized to donate because of federal income tax deductions, which is morally wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose of charity is to selflessly give to a person in need, a foundation that is struggling, or to the community. This can range from anywhere from helping an old couple carry their groceries to their car to philanthropy where Bill Gates and his Gates Foundation making large donations to organizations in need and funding research. Charity is about helping others no matter how small the difference might be, but just like society, charity has changed into what you'll benefit from doing such action.
As previously stated, the soul purpose of charity is to selflessly act to help others without an incentive, but this has been misconstrued due to schools offering bonus points in order to incentivize students to make donations. By offering bonus points and rewards for donating, it no longer becomes a selfless act done to help someone else, but rather a selfish act to help yourself when final report cards come around. Similarly, in ECC we have monthly dress down days where we "donate" to a charity, whether it be local or not. But, this is not true charity because kids are being incentivized by the ability to dress down rather than the idea of selflessly giving to someone in need. Also, the likelihood of it being the student's own money is little to none because a majority of students request money from their parents so it isn't even coming from their own pocket. This has in turn lead to a generation of entitled children not knowing the true meaning of charity because they expect something out of their generosity.
Regardless of whether or not it is a child or an adult acting "charitable" because they're being incentivized it is morally wrong. By adding incentives for charitable acts, charity no longer becomes a selfless act but rather a selfish act, thus misconstruing the idea of generosity and charitability for generations to come. If incentives were removed from all charitable acts then you would see who truly are the charitable people because they know the true meaning of charity is to help others. So, in order to correct the perception of charity all incentives must be removed so that we don't raise a generation of selfish children and adults.
Logan, I think you did a good job on this week’s blog. I like how you included the federal tax deductions, I did not think of that myself. I also liked how you added the dress down days that we do at our own school. It seems we have a fairly similar view on that matter. I only have one question that does not really need to be answered, is our world truly this corrupt that we cannot manage to do anything without getting something out of it in return? I do not believe our world is inherently bad, there are just some people and some decisions that pushed into the headlines to show that they are “a good person.” There are many people in our world and in our community that give so much to help others that saying that we are just selfish is not correct. However, there are people doing these things simply for themselves selfishly which I do understand. Overall, I thought your blog was well developed, good job.
DeleteI think your blog is quite good. You clearly developed your view using examples and instances. And you really stuck to you view of charity needing to be selfless. I would argue that helping people, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, is beneficial. Perhaps it could be taken under another name, but I don't see how having dress down days really hurts anyone, we're helping charity and getting a nice change in clothes for it. I suppose it could hurt the person to expect rewards but I'd say this is more of a personal reason and a silly one to not help over. Other than that minor difference, I really agree with you and think that you wrote a very good blog on this topic. Well done.
DeleteOftentimes we go though our normal lives believing that we are charitable. We give to the food bank, women’s shelter, maternity closet, and so many more organizations. However, how many times are we actually donating to help because we want to? How many times do we donate just so that we can get something out of it, whether that be better grades, dress down days, or just having people recognize you as a “good person”? It begs the question: what does it actually mean to be charitable? Are we really, truly, charitable? I believe Randy Cohen poses a great question that we often find within our own high school and society. “Is the exchange of donations for grades [or any other incentive] O.K.?”
ReplyDeleteMany times we hear, almost on a daily bases, sometimes even from our own mouths, “well, what do I get out of it.” Out of our growing consumer world we often find that if we do something good or kind we should get something back. At Elk County Catholic we see people bring in a dollar, the bare minimum, to be able to get a dress down day. It is not a bad thing to get a reward once in a while, however, doing things just to get recognized or whatever else is not being charitable. Most of us can at the very least donate a little more, and it would not break the piggy bank. Would it really hurt if we decided to donate to an organization instead of spending money on movie tickets and fast food? I personally believe that it would not.
Being within the time of lent one of the opportunities we have by being Catholic is almsgiving, freely giving to others who could benefit from material goods of money donations. Many other religions also participate in almsgiving and find it important to give back to the community if nothing else. Giving to others is important for our own personal growth too. Even if we are not capable of donating money or material goods we can also donate our times or effort. I am sure we have heard at least once in our lives we should imagine what it would be like if we were in their situation. But honestly, picture yourself in some of these situations, not being capable to give your own children the proper resources and the only way to even cloth your child is to rely on others donations from the maternity closet.
Within the Bible and others in the Catholic faith we can see how important it truly is to be charitable. 2 Corinthians 9:7 states in the New American Bible that, “Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Also, Saint Nicholas gave money to the needy in secret so to not get endless praise for helping. He was not wealthy himself but he found it incredibly important to help those less fortunate than him. Mark 12:41-44 states, “He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”” We must be like the widow who had nothing but gave all she had.
Doing acts of kindness for our own benefit is wrong. In this case it is not preforming an act of kindness if we do it for ourself. It is not hard to help someone else in secret. We must model people like Saint Nicholas and the widow to truly become charitable. Proverbs 31:8-9 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Your blog is very good. I like how you really dug into the moral side of this argument and using the bible here really added to your view. And I really like how you mentioned personal growth because this is something I thought of as well. Very nice.
DeleteI completely agree with your thoughts on our dress down days at ECC. Nicely done tying that into your discussion.
DeleteCharity is the act of helping others. This can come in a variety of shapes and sizes but the basis for it is the same. And it is typically regarded that charitable acts shouldn’t be done in the public eye but in private so as not to expect benefits from it. This is being challenged by those who give prizes to those who donate. And I will say that helping is always good, and doing so in public can inspire others to as well, even if it is some kind of marketing campaign, people are being helped so it is good.
ReplyDeleteI however, do not agree that people should be rewarded with bonus points in school for donating. This provides a secondary way to get a good grade that is a huge advantage over those whom are less fortunate. We all can agree that the SAT scandal was bad because those kids didn’t deserve to get into such good schools, they took spots away from more qualified students. But they got in because they had money. This is similar to getting grades for donating to charity, it adds to the view of people being rewarded for having resources instead of merit. I definitely do not think that giving students better grades because they could donate is a thing that should be allowed.
On another note however, I do think that rewarding people for donating in general is fine. It will better incentivize people to donate. And this is where my logic gets twisted, it is not only about considering the positives, but also about considering about how that affects people. Helping the less fortunate is a good thing, except for when it hurts someone else. As in, getting better grades for it makes other students’ grades comparatively worse, and could lead to them not getting into colleges and so on. But for an instance such as federal tax deductions, this doesn’t hurt those around you and is good.
Here is a balance between helping people and hurting people. It should be considered whom it hurts to help. This can go beyond points in class. Sometimes, donations to the less fortunate are taken straight from those more so. I think of Robin Hood, by hurting the rich, he helps the poor, and we all see him as the good guy. So they really points out how good and bad can be twisted and turned and not really be one right answer. But my point is that no matter how this discussion goes, one can just donate without taking any credit for it and avoid this mess. People will still be helped and no one will be hurt. This is something I can agree with the church over, bluh bluh bluh left hand and right hand not knowing what each other does bluh bluh. Because charity is something that I believe should be done to help those in need but also to develop yourself as a person, and showing that to others develops you in the wrong way.
Chris your blog is pretty good this week. I agree with your statement that rewarding people will make a better incentive for the future. Good work.
DeleteI like how you included the SAT scandal, as well as the Robin Hood reference, it really helped tie the blog together. I think this is a really good blog. -Dan
DeleteCharity in itself is a moral good. No one will ever tell you it is wrong to give to someone who is less fortunate. Our school holds charity drives on the last Thursday of each month. There is nothing inherently wrong with being charitable. However, there are two parts to this mind that make a world of difference for the one donating.
ReplyDeleteThe first mindset is the mindset of pure good. This person is donating simply to bring a little joy to someone’s life. In this setup, donating is beneficial for both parties and then some. The one donating will build character and the one receiving will feel better for even a day. A symbiotic relationship of sorts. This mindset is the best mindset.
The second mindset is the mindset of part good, part gain. This mindset is predicated on doing something for the reward foremost and the effect on the receiver comes second. While this is still relatively beneficial for the receiver, it will slowly corrupt the gifter. It is a long and arduous process, but it is also contagious. The gifter can become irritated when they receive little to nothing from donating and they may even stop completely. This is harmful to all parties involved. The gifter is a leach in a sick irony. This is the worst mindset.
Charity is only good if it is designed to only give, not take, in all metaphorical senses. There must be a balance struck and it cannot become a donating only when it is convenient situation. This will only corrupt everything.
I like the approach you took to this argument, Bruce. I particularly enjoyed your point about it corrupting people that will always expect a grand incentive for a simple act of kindness. This really brought to like the psychological aspect of charity!
DeleteSilly Brucey, our dress down days are on the third Thursday of every month! However, that’s unimportant. I really really like the way you composed this essay. It reminds me of the principles of the double effect proposed by Thomas Aquinas that help one decipher whether something is morally good or morally wrong. Love this!
DeleteI am very glad that this is the topic of discussion for the week. It has been on my mind a lot lately, especially in regards to obtaining extra credit for charitable acts. I’m a firm believer that this is not the purpose of a charitable act. “Do a good term daily” is the slogan held by the local Boy Scout troops in our school system. This is how a charitable act should be approached. The only incentive should be a sense of pride for the act that was committed, and that should easily be enough. If an incentive involves an actual price, then a large part of the decision will be made based on price. Charitable acts are meant to be done out of the kindness of someone’s heart, not out of the money of someone’s pocket. I am choosing to leave this short and sweet because I feel as if nothing else needs to be said. Charitable acts should have no other reward other than pride.
ReplyDeleteBryce, this is a very concise and well-written argument. I agree that pride is a big enough incentive for many people, which is good. I do agree that extra credit for charitable acts is sort of “on the fence” between being ethical and unethical.
DeleteThe question of whether or not it is ethical to offer incentives for donations is very important. Although offering donations to charity for an incentive is not entirely selfless and does not follow the definition of charity, it is ethical to some extent.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of Elk County Catholic, offering a dress down day as an incentive to dress down is ethical. There is nothing against giving a reward to someone for doing good! Besides, there is no doubt that the amount of people that would donate without a dress down day is significantly lower than those who donate in exchange for one. While this is a disappointing piece of information, it is the ugly truth. This raises the question of what is more important: selflessly giving, or raising money for charity?
While it should be encouraged and taught for teenagers to be charitable, it is important for charities to receive the donations they need to help their cause. The practice of giving a reward has been done for centuries. It is not unethical to get a reward for being kind. A reward can be anything from a sum of money for finding a lost pet to a simple “Congratulations” or “I’m proud of you” from someone that one looks up to and admires. In the end, it is more important for acts of kindness to be performed for a reward, then not done at all.
While it is disappointing that we live in a world where charity is not a common practice and incentives are given for almost any act of kindness, it may be necessary to give incentives for charities to get the help they need. Therefore, giving an ethical incentive in return for an act of kindness is just.
I really like the point of view you portrayed in this! It wasn’t so much between ethical and unethical but rather what aspect is more important. I could really hear your voice through this and respect your strong opinion. Nice! Good luck in FBLA this weekend by the way (;
DeleteBailey, I really liked how you began saying it is ethical to some extent and then explained that. It made it very easy to follow. Great Job!
DeleteBailey, I’m really glad you mentioned ethical incentives in return for an act of kindness being just! Just as you included an example of our monthly dress down days being ethical because students have the incentive to wear “normal clothes” in return for a monetary donation or charitable cause. This was very well-written! You did a beautiful job of expressing your thoughts and stating your point clearly !
DeleteA charity, by definition, is an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need. Similarly, an incentive, by definition, is a thing that motivates or encourages someone to do something. The debate of whether or not offering incentives in order to get people to donate or do charitable deeds is ethical or unethical has sparked some controversial concerns among schools, students, and organizations. However, there is a fine line between what type of incentive is defined as “ethical.”
ReplyDeleteIn the excerpt from The New York Times Magazine the example is given regarding bonus points or a bump on a student’s final average in return for a charitable donation. This can be seen as unethical because it could potentially change something in the long run. By giving just a dollar one could make high honors, National Honor Society, or even be granted a scholarship because sometimes things like that boil down to just a few points or a slight grade weight.
On the other hand, Elk County Catholic High School offers a dress down day in return for a donation to one of the local charities. This, however, is not considered unethical because it is an incentive that does not change anything; it’s just a one and done deal with no strings attached. This also ties into the use of service hours. In order to pass for the school year, each student must have 20 service hours, so more often than not, kids are bribed with a number of service hours for working various events.
It is obvious that some incentives such as money and grades are considered unethical, but there might be a loophole when it comes to things such as dress down days, crazy sock days, and service hours. However, the opinion of what is considered ethical and unethical must be left in the eye of the beholder.
I never considered the different types of incentives and how they could potentially change things. The definition of "charity at the beginning of your article was a good start. Nice work!
Delete-Regis
I really like your point about how a small grade boost might be the difference between honors, scholarship, and other scholastic achievements. I did not think of this possibility.
DeleteBeing charitable is unselfishly being kind and helping those who are either poor or in need. The word “charitable” is a descriptive adjective that helps define a generous person, but oftentimes, it loses its meaning when describing an individual who exchanges donations for something in return. This is not a charitable act; it is a transaction. Being a charitable person is not only important; it is necessary. Receiving incentives should not be the soul reasoning behind offering a donation because then it could never truly be considered “charitable.”
ReplyDeleteIn Randy Cohen’s column, “The Ethicist,” a question arose asking, “Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K.?” This question brought attention to the ethical issues concerning acts deemed to be “charitable.” Charity is a selfless act of kindness and generosity. It is not a transaction like the exchange of money for milk that may occur in stores such as Walmart. If charitable acts are supposedly selfless and are supposed to teach generosity, why would anyone need anything in return? Generosity needs no recompense. In 1 Thessalonians 4:9, it reads, “On the subject of mutual charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” Incentives have no place in a true charitable act.
Some may argue that the only way to teach kids to be charitable is using incentives. Although it may cause kids to donate more money, clothes, or food, it does not teach them to be charitable. This exchange only teaches kids the value of their donations compared to the incentives they are receiving. A grade boost is extremely valuable to most students. If a teacher says, “for every can of peaches you bring in to the Food Bank, I will give you 10 bonus points,” the students in that class would be frantic to find and bring in cans of peaches. The exchange seems reasonable and beneficial to the students. If that same teacher brings in a long-bearded homeless man who looks like he has not eaten in three days and asks, “please bring this man peaches to eat,” the response of the students would be much more sincere, and they would donate for the sake of the man’s health.
Charitable acts are necessary for the well-being of those in less fortunate situations. Because it is for the sake of helping others, donations should be given without expectations of getting anything in return. Loving one another should outweigh any grade boost or other incentive that causes a selfless act of generosity to become a selfish one.
-Regis
You have made some great points. I agree that most times people only see the “10 bonus points” from donating. However, they are still giving food to the bank.
DeleteEven though you have a different viewpoint then I did. I think that your piece was good. In particular, I like your word choices in the third paragraph, “frantic” and “long bearded” are both very descriptive and work well in the piece. Good job!
DeleteMarian-Webster Dictionary defines charitable as, “full of love for or goodwill towards others.” By this definition, is it possible to give to charity without being charitable? Someone could be giving to charity, but not fully meaning their donation to help the organization. Instead, the person is focused of the federal income tax dedication he will receive, the bonus points given on a test, or the car he could win by donating. This person is merely focused on his personal gain and not for the goodwill of the charitable organization.
ReplyDeleteThese reasons for donating do not necessary matter. The person is still taking money from their own pocket and giving it to someone who needs it. Some people just need a little nudge to get them going. Organizations that offer a car or other big prize to those who donate are surely not losing money. Most of these type of donations have a minimum amount to ensure that the price of the prize is covered with money remaining for the organization.
The only problem with these type of donations comes during tax season. People are able to receive federal income tax deductions for entering a “contest” or to get an A on a test. This seems on fair to those who donate and look for nothing in return. However, without these incentives many would not donate in the first place. A simple solution to this issue would be to take a larger percentage for deduction of those who donate without incentive compared to those who do.
Everyone needs a little jump start to get the, going every once and a while. Those who need an incentive to donate should not be looked at poorly, because in the end they are still donating to a cause. However, these people should not be given the same treatment when it come to federal income tax deductions as those who need to incentives to be charitable. These people are acting in a truly charitable manor, acting for the goodwill of the organization.
I though this blog overall was well written. I especially liked how you mentioned that if an incentive is offered, an individual may only be focused on what they will receive in turn rather than actually being charitable.
DeleteIn my opinion being charitable deals with the practice of assisting those in need. In our modern society, there is an obvious contrast amongst social groups on the economic level, however this gap can sometimes appear cloudy. Therefore, it is difficult to determine what makes someone more needy than yourself. I’ve found that the individuals who are aware that they are financially superior to someone else, actually tend to give less as opposed to someone who can personally relate to someone in need. For example, as a waitress at a small family owned restaurant, time and time again I have witnessed that regardless of the quality of my service, a more wealthy person tends to tip far less than someone who can barely afford their own meal. Although it is hard to judge someone’s financial stability, just by picking up on social cues and using common sense, it’s safe to say that a more well dressed individual who used large bills to pay tend to be more wealthy than a ragged individual who is forced to strenuously count out pennies, nickels, and dimes in order to pay their bill. Although this is not a concrete way of determining someone’s financial condition, I have found it quite effective. As for the idea of offering incentives for charitable acts, I feel as though this is both morally and ethically wrong. From a moral standpoint, by offering a donation of some kind only for the point of receiving something in return simply contradicts one another. From an ethical perspective, if the incentive that is being offered can only be received by giving a donation, a financially challenged individual may not have the option to support themselves rather than support someone else, making this exchange completely unfair.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog this week to be quite interesting. I loved how you were able to connect it to a real world problem. I enjoyed how you concluded your post with the different perspectives.
DeleteMady, I really liked how you were able to relate your blog to your work. It made it very interesting the perspectives you used.
DeleteThe word charity is derived from the old English phrase which means “love for a fellow man”. Charity is given because of the love one man bears for another. At least, that is the traditional definition of it. Charity can be given for a variety of reasons, such as extra points on an assignment or a dress down day. Some say those reasons diminish the good that the charity does. But, I believe, that the reasons for giving do not matter at all, as long as good is accomplished in the end.
ReplyDeleteIn our school, every month or so we have a dress down day, and every student donates a dollar in order to participate. Now, most students are donating their dollar just so they could wear their normal clothes. But, their donation goes to a good cause, such as CAPSEA or the Guardian Angel Center. Even though the students are giving their charity not out of true love, they are giving a significant amount of money to an organization that definitely deserves and needs it. It doesn’t matter why the people were feeling when they handed in that dollar, what is important is that they handed it in. Their dollar is doing a great deal of good, in this community.
However, I also believe that if that the giver’s does not give out of true Christian love, they have no right to brag about it, and claim that they are a good person. Their hearts were truly not in their giving, therefore, they should not lout it over anyone. That is acting, as the Bible says, like a Pharisee. In Matthew 6:2 it says, When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites* do in the synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” So, stay humble, and don’t brag about it. That goes for all forms of charity, whether it it be given out of love or for any other reason.
Charity is supposed to be given out of true love, but that does not always happen. However, as long as a person is giving to a good cause, the reason for giving us unimportant.
I like how you included the English phrase for charity. I agree with how you said that if they don’t do it out of Christian love then they should not brag about it. This is a well written blog!
DeleteJulie, I enjoyed reading your blog. I really like the quote "But, I believe, that the reasons for giving do not matter at all, as long as good is accomplished in the end." as I feel this was the main basis for your blog this weekend.
DeleteAn act of charity is defined, by Wikipedia, as " ...the act of giving money, goods or time to the unfortunate, either directly or by means of a charitable trust or other worthy cause. Charitable giving as a religious act or duty is referred to as almsgiving or alms." When I think of charitable act, I usually don't except anything back physically. It's not a charitable act if you are giving something and expecting something in return, that goes more under a job status. So when people do charitable acts and want something in return, I feel like that defeats the entire purpose of an act of charity. It's okay if you get recognition for your act, but getting money (or in the passage better grades) is somewhat different.
ReplyDeleteTo get a boon or identification for your acts of charity are acceptable. People sometimes should be acknowledged for their acts, especially if they have contributed a large amount of time and money. A person shouldn't expect to have these things, but it is okay to have this happen. An example of this would be having a plaque or a award named after said person for the stuff they have done for the association helped. Yet, when a person does charitable contributions, and expects to get a better grade or money, they should rethink what their thought of a charitable act is. It is almost bribery if the association tells a person that if they donate they'll get a monetary reward. Ethically, it is wrong to expect money, but if you don't accept the money it is a not wrong. People have to be aware of their charitable actions, and think if it is a truly an act of charity.
Gergy I like your blog this week. I think it is kinda deep when you said you do not expect anything in return physically. It shows the true joy of charitable deeds is the way it makes you feel on the inside. Good work!
DeleteWhile doing charitable acts, people should be doing it because they want to make others happy not to get something in return. In the short snippet of “The Ethicists” Randy Cohen was asked if he thinks it is ethically wrong to do charitable deeds to get something in return. I believe that it all matters in the intent of the individual. While giving donations or doing something nice People need to act as if they are not going to get anything in return for their actions. I do believe that when kids a first learning how to make proper good deeds rewarding them is not always a bad thing. For example, in elementary school and now my school has dress down days when we give money to dress down for the day. I believe this is a very great act because we raise a few hundred dollars a month to give to a charity each month. All we get in return is to not wear our uniform. Now is where the intent comes in. If people are giving donations just to get something back from it they should rethink the true meaning of why the school does this. I think the school shows us how great it can be to give and how easy it can be. When giving in the future we start to realize that the deeds we do are enough of a reward. People see that giving is one beautiful gift from God and is what Jesus wants us to do. From my personal experience people need to learn at a young age the many ways to give. When getting small things in return for larger deeds will make small deeds feel natural. Human nature is to help others and I believe it is ok to get small things in return for charitable actions. Besides doing good makes people happier.
ReplyDeleteI thought your approach was interesting with using incentives while kids are young and then teaching that the deeds are enough of a reward when they grow older.
DeleteI firmly believe that it is not acceptable to receive some sort of a reward for doing a charitable act. When you do a charitable act you should do it out of the kindness of your heart, not because you want a reward, such as good grades or a dress down day. I believe that our school has fell victim to this act, as they will often make us pay, or bring in toys or other items for charities. I am absolutely for bringing in all items for families that are in need. However, our school conveys it in a way that is wrong. The message they convey seems to me as; you bring in a toy then you have earned a dress down day. I believe it is unnecessary and think that many students would bring in a toy for kids just out of the kindness of their hearts. The book of Matthew says to not do charitable deeds before men and further states “You should never let your right hand know what the left hand does.” That means that you should give, but not broadcast what you do for everyone to know. Our Lord repays us when we do charitable deeds in secret. Another example, is when families will donate money to college so their child will be accepted into college that college. It is the same principle in that you do so called “charitable deeds” in the hopes that you will get a reward in return. All of these acts have swayed what the meaning of charity is. While many people still do charity the correct way, the number of people who do it for rewards is increasing. They are missing the whole point of what giving and charity should be, which is for us to do good and be pleasing to God.
ReplyDeleteDan
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ReplyDeleteJohn Bunyan once exclaimed, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” The practice of using incentives in exchange for others to do charitable acts is a common widespread practice, whether it be from school projects to fundraisers by organizations, to federal income tax deductions for contributions to charities. It is wrong to offer incentives for charitable acts because it degrades the very point of a charitable act in itself.
ReplyDeleteOffering incentives for an act that is supposedly charitable takes away the actual charity from it. Instead of doing so out of the love and kindness in ones own heart, they are doing so out of greed just to get something for their own self. It turns the act into something that is selfish instead of something that is selfless.
One way of looking at the situation to see if the act can still be salvaged and hopefully seen as charitable in God’s eyes is whether the intention is to receive the added bonus or not. If the person in question does it in order to receive the extra bonus, then the act would not be seen as charitable because the incentive can be seen as something in exchange for the act. This would be an even trade between a sacrifice and something that the person wants in return. However, if the person in question does it just to do something good for another, then the act can be seen as charitable. Personally, I feel that in order for the act to be fully selfless, they may even try to avoid the bonus or at least do not think of it as a reason for doing the act.
When I think of the word charity, I also think of the word love. Therefore, if someone does not do a charitable act as an act of love for someone or something else, then it should still be considered a kind deed and will help another person, but it may not fully help the person’s soul to become closer to Christ. If one decides to perform a charitable act, it should be known to only that person and God.
Emily, I like how you reltaed everything to god. It was interesting to see a perspective from a religious standpoint compared to my view, which was more ethical. The main ideas you outlined would be interesting to see in a full blown paper.
DeleteI like how you used the example of God’s perspective.This provided another view since most people would argue from an ethical standpoint.
DeleteWhen someone is charitable, they willingly and generously give money, goods, etc., out of love and compassion. When incentives are given to people who donate, the meaning behind the act is essentially taken away. When teachers in schools offer bonus points for grades and the government changing federal income tax deductions the ethical questions are raised about donations of all kinds. Every month at Elk County Catholic, we have at least one charitable donation day. Whether it the monthly relaxed dress day, the Project Gifts for Kids toy drive donation week we hold before Christmas, or a different type of donation for another organization, they all turn out great and we normally are able to contribute for these places. As the donations are given to the organizations the representatives seem to be very pleased with what the school has brought in for them. If the organizations knew that students only gave money or needed items on for a better grade, how do you think they would feel? Donating goods or money for incentives may not even make the donor feel good. Think about it. If you were to make a donation to your church, would you feel better about yourself if you did it because you wanted to, or because your grade wanted you to? On a much larger scale, my recent bioethics paper was on the topic of organ donation. As I was writing that essay, I learned that many organ recipients and donors are able to appreciate their new or donated organs much better if it was anonymous. The people then do not know how the person on the other end felt, and it gives a better sense of comfort. Donations tend to be something that people get praised for, even if it was an anonymous donation. Yes, grades and incentives are great but, a grade doesn’t define you, how you treat people and what you do for others does.
ReplyDeleteYou did a wonderful job stating your point on incentives with donation. I’m glad you included your information based on your organ donation bioethics paper that supported your opinion extremely!!! You ended your short essay with a major bang and I enjoyed every word of this! Fabulous job, Ellie!
ReplyDeleteMerriam-Webster's dictionary defines charity as "generosity and helpfulness, especially toward the needy or suffering" and also as "a gift for public benevolent purposes". In my opinion, offering incentives for charity is not completely wrong in all moral aspects. Whether or not doing charitable acts in the hopes of receiving a reward is ethical is another matter. I feel that offering a reward for the kindness of those who expect nothing in return is actually a nice concept, as long as the reward does not become an expectation. It creates a cycle of kindness; one acts out of kindness and expects nothing in return, only to be pleasantly surprised by the kindness of others in rewarding him or her for their voluntary act. However, to do a charitable act or to donate to a charity only to expect a reward in return undermines, I believe, the meaning of the word "charity". If one contributes to charity for selfish purposes, can the contribution be considered benevolent? In my opinion, the answer would be no.
ReplyDeleteHowever, those who receive the charity will likely never know the motives behind the contribution. Most likely, they will just be glad to receive the help or donation. Personally, I do not believe that this makes a selfish contribution any more likely to be morally right than if the person receiving the charity knew the motives behind the action. However, the lines between morally right and morally wrong choices and actions are very blurred, and I am in no position to solidify those boundaries for all of society, especially when I can't even do that for myself. Figuring out what is morally right and what is morally wrong is something that all most people struggle with throughout their lives, and the answer to that question varies depending on who is answering it.
Good use of factual information using the dictionary to support your opinion.
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ReplyDeleteI disagree that students who perform lower in a class shouldn't be given an opportunity for extra credit. All students should be given this opportunity especially if they are willing.
DeleteThis is not my blog, I accidentally posted my reference.
DeleteIf you need an incentive on order to made a simple donation, then you're doing it all wrong. The definition of donation, according to the dictionary, is "Something that is given to a charity, especially a sum of money." The definition of give, according to the same dictionary, means to "Freely transfer the possession of something to someone." The word freely typically means without having to pay anything, and therefore, donations should be made without expecting anything special back.
ReplyDeleteThese kinds of situations can be closely related to prayers. Often times when praying, someone will ask for something or ask for God to help someone, but the prayer won't always be answered in the specific way that the person asks, but nonetheless the prayer is still answered. The two situations can be compared to each other because when praying for something, or donating an item, there will always be something given back to you, maybe not in the way you want it or expect it, but something will be given back. The point of prayers or donating, although, is not to expect something in return, but to seek for the joy in giving. No matter who you are, if one searches deep enough into their own heart, they will find somewhere, that there is a joy obtained from the act of giving that can be found nowhere else.
Although the assurance of acquiring something in return for acts of kindness — whether it be tax breaks, monetary compensation, or other commodities — can exponentially increase one’s willingness to participate in such deeds of generosity, the moral importance of the act itself should not be overlooked. Incentives should not be done away with, since they maximize benefits for both parties involved in the transaction. Nevertheless, society must prevent the value of charity from being defiled; there needs be a balance between the effect incentives have on one’s propensity for charitable acts and the actual motives behind them.
This is Stephen
DeleteThe simple deed of a charitable acts is something that people decide to selflessly do for those who are in need. There should not be any ulterior motives to performing a good deed for those less fortunate. But, the truth is there are. Many different groups of people or organizations try to get people together to hold charitable donations as well as doing anything for those in need. It could be collecting money, old clothes, or anything that people many need. This is a good action needed for people who in some cases have nothing, yet people need a reward? Deuteronomy 15:8 reads, “but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.” This is God’s word to us because he wants us to give to those less fortunate. It should be morally and ethically correct to give, and to want no reward for it. However, this growing issue in today’s culture is making it difficult to just simply perform the act of giving, and that is where we go wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn a different light, by adding a reward a person becomes more likely to do a charitable act that would not have completed without it. This person may have some ethical issues, but the person creating the reward may not. By offering points, and giving the hopes of raising a grade in this instance can make a difference in the outcome of a charity fundraiser. Is it right for a person to not freely give up what they have to the poor? Not necessarily, but it gets people to donate that would never had without it. It may be sending the wrong message to people but at least awareness is being affiliated with raising money and collecting donations to those less fortunate.
Michelle, while I do agree that incentives may change the intent of the giving action I do not think that incentives change the overall ethics of an action because in the end you are still helping someone in need.
DeleteSome parents believe that offering incentives sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades okay? At Elk County Catholic, various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives, asking students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus points on tests and grades as incentives to participate. Even once a month students are allowed to dress down if they bring in a monetary donation.
ReplyDeleteThis is a bad policy, not because it sends the wrong message about charity, but because it sends the wrong message about math or chemistry or AP Language. Grades are meant to assess a student's academic achievement, not to stimulate social activism in the community.
This is not to condemn incentives as immoral. While some religions prize selflessness as a personal quality, ethics is less concerned with individual spiritual development than with right actions. Looked at this way, charity does not need to be selfless to be worthwhile. People behave religiously and ethically for a variety of reasons such as personal glory, social justice, religious obligation, love of the work itself, or to prove to their friends they are in-fact a good person.
In the Bible, Matthew 19:24, Jesus proclaims to his disciples, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” This proverb describes how a charitable man is accepted into the kingdom of Heaven while a wealthy, selfish man has no chance. This situation applies to the ever growing problem of high school administration granting incentives to students performing charitable donations. By allowing students to increase their grade solely because they did a charitable act, the intention is lost and the reasoning is now unethical.
ReplyDeleteCharitable acts are supposed to be voluntary and without expecting anything in return. However, if a student is required to give some type of donation or is rewarded by doing so, the whole idea of charity is thrown out the window. Yes, the act itself was still charitable, but there was no personal intention; it was the grade boost that spurred the students to donate. Also, the reward for performing a charitable act is not selfish: a boosted grade, money, or praise. The reward should be humbling and the satisfaction of helping those in need.