Comment by TheOtherDrJones on Why Our Kind Can't Cooperate · 2010-12-02T03:39:30.546Z · LW · GW

Amongst a group of people who know and interact with each other regularly such as a synagogue those who have the means to donate money and those who do not would be an extremely obvious piece of information to the members of that group.

There are actually two actions taken here by members, they either do not donate or they donate a certain amount. To the members of the group the amount donated is as much of an information channel as the choice to donate or not to donate. Those who donate a lot and are rich may cause offence by donating less than expected, those who donate a little when there is no expectation may gain esteem.

You are proposing a situation in which an individual donates less than expected by such a magnitude that it seriously affects people's esteem for them. This is possible, although given social pressures unlikely. It can occur at all because the magnitude of the donation combined with the wealth of the individual and the support for the cause are all easily calculable. Magnitude of donation is known, wealth is implied by clothes, status symbols or frank discussions about income, and support for the place of worship is expected to be high.

In a group of rational people donating to support a cause they have the option of donating, not donating and voicing support or criticism. You have established a reasonable grounds for why people do not arbitrarily voice support, and for why people voice criticism. But let's look at the amount donated and imagine it were being done publicly, is there a state where people can be hurt by donation or non-donation?

Even if the amount donated and a reasonable guess at the wealth of the individual are available, the amount donated can still vary by the level of support the person feels for the cause. There is no level of donation that is 'incorrect' just as there is no arbitrary 'correct' level of support. Therefore the situation is most unlikely to cause social harm to the individual donating, or those who do not donate as there is a rational reason for any level of donation.