This story is Part I of a two-part essay on the “Pursuing the Good.” Read Part II.

Most people sense that there is a big difference between the world as it is and the world as it ought to be. While we might be able to imagine what a better version of our society would look like, the path to get there is anything but clear. When addressing deeply entrenched problems, what are the best opportunities and respective roles for the non-profit, for-profit, and government sectors? And where does your individual effort actually do the most good? We talked with experts to explore.

Good charity

To improve the condition of the world and its people, our first inclination may be towards charitable giving or volunteering. Yet the needs seem to be growing, and our resources are limited—where should we focus our energies?

Experts agree that true impact requires balancing short-term aid with long-term solutions. “Obviously, if someone is suffocating, immediate help is the way to go, but you also have to get the person off the respirator—being glued to it isn’t a way to live,” says Alejo José G. Sison, a Professor of Business Ethics at the University of Navarra in Spain. His research centers on ethics, economics, politics, and moral philosophy, focusing on virtues and the common good. “I’m also a person of faith.”

He says that while immediate aid, for example, following natural disasters, is essential, handouts must transition into efforts to establish functioning markets. “No one but the individual themselves knows best what their needs are,” says Sison, pointing to cultural, historical, and environmental factors that outside entities often overlook.

“I am originally from the Philippines…I remember when I was a lot younger, there would be sort of sacks with “A gift from the US government” printed on them, or “A gift from the Japanese government” printed on them,” says Sison. “Sometimes brazenly, you’d see those sacks in the market. Clearly, [locals] were selling stuff that was supposed to be given away. I sort of understand that. Imagine you were given a sack of rice, and what you needed was something else. You needed medicine. What would you do?”

One of the pitfalls of traditional aid models, Sison explains, is “tied aid,” where donor countries, who seem to be generous, instead insist that recipients use funds to purchase goods or services from the donor country. For instance, African nations receiving industrialization support might be required to buy equipment from Italian manufacturers. “What if it’s not the best product for their circumstances?” Sison asks. Such practices often prioritize donor interests over recipients’ needs, undermining the aid’s effectiveness.

Paved with good intentions

What about well-intentioned charitable efforts by altruistic donors? You’ve heard the old adage, “It’s better to give than receive,” and that insight certainly has merit. In a comprehensive report titled The Science of Generosity, by the Greater Good Science Center, the findings are compelling: giving feels good. Generosity is strongly linked to improved psychological health, greater well-being, and increased happiness. It even activates the brain’s reward pathways—the same ones triggered by food and sex. However, this instinct to give without fully considering the recipient’s circumstances can sometimes do more harm than good.

Sison highlights, for example, how secondhand clothing floods African markets, undermining local textile industries. “We even feel good about ourselves because we tell ourselves we’re helping to keep people in Africa warm, but it destroys the incentive to set up local factories,” he explains. This not only stifles job creation but creates mountains of waste, where millions of tons of our old, donated fashion ends up in landfills, creating even more environmental strife.

An alternative approach, championed by Nobel laureates MIT economists Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee and Harvard University economist Michael Kremer, is “direct money transfers,” says Sison. This method empowers recipients to address their unique needs, fostering autonomy rather than going through governments or all sorts of aid initiatives and stimulating local economies. However, Sison cautions that such programs must navigate local dynamics, such as envy and data reliability, to avoid unintended consequences.

What does it mean to be generous?

The essence of charity, Sison says, lies in generosity—not merely giving money, possessions, or getting rid of things that you don’t want that will end up in a landfill or some self-storage somewhere, but to give of oneself. “True generosity means time, attention, and making yourself vulnerable… being generous even when no one’s looking… that’s a really generous person,” says Sison, who recommends that donors meet the recipients of their charity, if possible. “It’s not just about writing a check but following up, inquiring, and holding organizations accountable.” 

There are also performative aspects of modern giving, such as influencers and others who take photos of themselves with kids in need in developing countries and post those photos online, often without permission from the parents. It can be exploitative and narcissistic, ‘See what a good person I am? Give me praise.’ “It’s easy to be generous when you have all the photographers documenting the gala, right?” asks Sison. 

Yet, he believes performative acts can evolve into genuine generosity. “You might start mechanically, but over time, it can grow into something heartfelt,” he says, reflecting on the time when he himself helped Mother Teresa’s nuns. 

“And honestly, cleaning up after another person isn’t fun, right?” says Sison. “But you give yourself a chance to grow into it, and little by little, what started off as something purely mechanical or performative, starts to be something more human, more virtuous.”

“Charity, at least at a theological level as I understand it, is unconditional,” says Sison. There is no expectation of reciprocity. “Charity becomes a virtue when it springs from the heart, becoming a habitual disposition of character.” 

It’s not just about responding to crises or going to some far-flung place but about being charitable in everyday interactions. “Generosity starts at home,” says Sison. “You’re also charitable with your spouse or your child who had a bad night. And for that reason, they probably aren’t putting up the best version of themselves. You could retaliate and just be nasty yourself as well, or you could see it as an opportunity, as a chance to give of yourself unconditionally. Okay. So, you may be rude to me, but I’ll still be nice to you. I think that’s generosity, that’s charity…That’s a virtue.”

Generosity, innately understood by even toddlers, is a key human virtue. Wielded wisely, generosity benefits the individual, family, community, and the world. But in our complex, deeply interconnected society, how do we collectively deploy our resources to ensure the outcomes we long for? In part two, we will explore the respective roles of philanthropy, business, and government.

Alene Dawson is a Southern California-based writer known for her intelligent and popular features, cover stories, interviews, and award-winning publications. She’s a regular contributor to the LA Times.

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