I strongly favor the “warm glow” explanation, but I’d take it a step further.
For most people, the warm glow is only worth it if they get social credit.
Those yellow LiveStrong bracelets are a great example. They’re about $1 or so, and purchasers wear them around all day advertising that they care about cancer. How many of those people would have donated an equivalent amount (just a buck) without the badge of caring they get to wear around?
I strongly favor the “warm glow” explanation, but I’d take it a step further.
For most people, the warm glow is only worth it if they get social credit.
Those yellow LiveStrong bracelets are a great example. They’re about $1 or so, and purchasers wear them around all day advertising that they care about cancer. How many of those people would have donated an equivalent amount (just a buck) without the badge of caring they get to wear around?