Question to answer in a narrative form: What motivates the few who financially contribute to public initiatives (e.g. MADD), or enterprises (like National Public Radio)? Public goods are utilities that are not directly paid for by those who use or appreciate them. For example, roads are maintained from general taxation; in contrast, toll roads are paid directly by users and thus are ‘private goods.’ Further, one could distinguish common goods that are not provided by anybody, but exist for everybody’s enjoyment: air would be an almost facetious example, but fish in the ocean or books with expired copyright belong also to this category. Ancillary questions to structure the answer: Who benefits from the operations of a beneficent organization (like MADD)? What is the value of public radio? Who pays for various beneficent organizations, like MADD or National Public Radio? Who appreciates the value of their services? Does everybody who benefits from the activities pay for it? Why do most users not contribute? How does money contribute to the creation of cultural values? Consider: Opportunity cost is the value that one forgoes when spending an amount of money: it is low when the “loss” in insignificant. People also spend money to buy influence, i.e. make others act according to their values. Government is supposed to act in the public interest, for the benefit of all. Second question to answer in a narrative form: Some people buy houses only to resell them with profit, yet others live in their homes without paying the monthly mortgage. Is it fair?
