Donor Nudges: A False Campaign

Donor Nudges: A False Campaign
Summary/Central Issue
Garcia uses various sources to show how a couple in Las Vegas deceived the public into donating money. The use of deceptive messages to earn donations from people is a common practice in the country. In the United States (U.S.), people are more likely to sympathize with a donation cause if it involves veterans. The total amount of donations made to Johnny Bobbitt Jr. shows this. The main message of the story is that people should be cautious before making donations.
Connection to Economics
The article is connected to the concept of donor nudges in economics. According to this concept, several factors motivate us or prevent us from making donations. For instance, people donate because of guilt, reciprocity, self-satisfaction, duty, or prestige. Similarly, some people are discouraged from donating due to insufficient income, inattention, or over-spending. The idea demonstrated in the article is referred to as impulse giving. Impulse giving occurs when people respond to appeals. In this case, there are no considerations about the long-term effects of the donation. People simply donate to acquire the feeling of generosity. As seen in the article, the donation was intended for a homeless veteran. As stated, veterans in the U.S. tend to attract a lot of respect, and therefore, sympathy if they need help. The couple’s use of a veteran as the recipient of the donation shows how efficient they were in getting people to give impulsively. The couple’s methods also followed the nudge techniques of impulse giving. First, they were able to make gi...