HN Explorer

Ask HN: Why don't we volunteer as much anymore?

2 points by jmyc8 ↗ HN
I've noticed that a lot of my peers and coworkers have a lot energy and interest in causes that are the hot topic of the day (e.g. recent migration crises in 2015), but would lack execution.

Even myself, I would be incredibly passionate about a cause in my local community, but would fail to connect with a local nonprofit and see how I could help. I decided to talk to my friend who's a volunteer coordinator at a nonprofit, and she informed me that of the 800 volunteers they had, 90% were aged 65+, and the number of volunteers signing-up are declining!

Is this a trend in our generation? Where we aren't incentivized to volunteer/engage with the community unless it somehow supports our own personal motivations (e.g. personal brand, networking...)? If so, are nonprofits doomed?

3 comments

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TokyoKid
The fall of the Soviet Union saw a decline in financial support for grass roots movements worldwide. Neoliberalism has eroded support for such groups as well. Stagnant wages and rising household debt have reduced people's free time. And on the cultural front, we still teach that competition, not cooperation, is "human nature" (science does not support this).
DrScump
Is there a Onebrick.org affiliate, or similar organization, in your area?
twobyfour
I would hypothesize that we measure our free time in boredom. With smartphones in our pocket and the internet always available, we're rarely bored out of our minds any more - there's always a distraction to be had. So we feel like we have less free time and thus less time to spare for others.