Generous Americans

Michael Sure, in America, ruthless capitalism prevails. But precisely because everyone knows that people without money have nothing to laugh about, and also receive nothing or very little from the state, many high earners feel obliged to donate something to the not-so-well-off. Germans would be more likely to say, "I already pay so much in taxes, the state should take care of the bums, right!" But here, many publicly and proudly show that they also care for the disadvantaged.

Recently, Yahoo! organized an initiative to give underprivileged children a backpack filled with supplies for a good start to the school year. Participating employees could choose a sticker for "Boy" or "Girl," purchase a backpack designed accordingly, fill it with various school supplies, and drop it off. By the end of the week, there was an entire tower of backpacks in the entrance hall!