Against the Rules: The Big Short Companion How to Experience the Joy of Giving Right Now: A Giving Tuesday Special from The Happiness Lab
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Dec 9, 2025 
Tim Harford, a journalist and economist known for his insights on behavior, shares a touching story of kindness involving a returned passport. J.R. Martinez, an inspiring Army veteran and actor, recounts how receiving a dog changed his life. Dr. Maya Shunker, a psychologist, emphasizes the powerful impact of moral elevation from her childhood experiences. Together, they explore the joy of giving and its profound effect on happiness and community trust, promoting how even small acts can have monumental outcomes.
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Small Gifts Yield Big Outcomes
- Small donations can produce outsized real-world effects, like funding transportation to lifesaving treatment.
- Laurie Santos emphasizes collective small gifts created hope and medical access for people like Margaret.
Passport Returned By Strangers
- Tim Harford recounts losing his passport in Cameroon and strangers returning it without asking for a tip.
- Their unexpected kindness shattered his suspicions and restored his faith in people.
Trust Recipients To Know Their Needs
- GiveDirectly trusts recipients to spend cash where it matters most because locals know their needs best.
- Tim Harford and Laurie Santos argue distrust of recipients often underestimates people's judgment.
