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Rational Ignorance

Rational Ignorance Rational Ignorance Rational Ignorance

Rational Ignorance

Rational Ignorance Rational Ignorance Rational Ignorance

About Us

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What is Rational Ignorance

What is Rational Ignorance

What is Rational Ignorance

Rational ignorance is the decision to refrain from acquiring knowledge when the costs of obtaining free information, such as time and effort, are perceived to outweigh the potential benefits of that information. This concept, known as the rational ignorance effect and rooted in public choice theory, helps explain why individuals may choos

Rational ignorance is the decision to refrain from acquiring knowledge when the costs of obtaining free information, such as time and effort, are perceived to outweigh the potential benefits of that information. This concept, known as the rational ignorance effect and rooted in public choice theory, helps explain why individuals may choose to remain uninformed about political issues or complex topics. Since the impact of one person's decision is often minimal, the acquisition of detailed information can seem counterproductive. While rational ignorance can sometimes serve as an efficient strategy, it can also lead to negative collective outcomes, such as uninformed voting in democracies.

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Charity Goal

What is Rational Ignorance

What is Rational Ignorance

Our goal is to inspire a cultural and structural shift in giving. We aim to raise the average percentage of income Americans donate to charity from the long-standing 2% level to 5%. By combining transparency, accountability, and innovation, we strive to make generosity a national norm. This includes providing free information to combat ra

Our goal is to inspire a cultural and structural shift in giving. We aim to raise the average percentage of income Americans donate to charity from the long-standing 2% level to 5%. By combining transparency, accountability, and innovation, we strive to make generosity a national norm. This includes providing free information to combat rational ignorance, which can lead to the rational ignorance effect in charitable giving. Our mission empowers individuals to give more confidently, encourages leaders and companies to lead by example, and builds tools that make giving easy, visible, and impactful.

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Information Goal

What is Rational Ignorance

Information Goal

By pairing free access to information with compassionate discourse, we aim to build a culture that counters rational ignorance. In doing so, we encourage shared learning and understanding as acts of generosity, which can help mitigate the rational ignorance effect, sparking empathy, collaboration, and meaningful change across communities.

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