Does It Count as a Good Deed If No One Sees It?

James Andreoni's warm glow concept dismantles the false choice between secret and public generosity. The internal reward fires whether or not anyone watches, so unseen kindness is never wasted. Yet visibility triggers contagion: donor lists, displayed names, even images of eyes on walls raise giving rates. The real test isn't purity of motive but who stands at the center of the act. As Matt Ridley and Adam Grant both argue, mixed motives have always powered human cooperation.

You'll learn:

- Why warm glow works in private too

- The two-question test for ethical visibility

- How secret kindness builds durable identity