"Nevertheless, it is highly likely that Jack will turn up bright and early next Saturday to build birdhouses. Economists call this volunteer’s folly. It is a popular phenomenon: more than one-fourth of Americans volunteer their time. But what makes it folly? Among other things, **if Jack chooses to cobble together a few birdhouses himself, it takes away work from a tradesman. Working a little longer and donating a portion of the earnings is the most effective contribution Jack can make**. Hands-on volunteer work would be helpful only if he could make use of his expertise." --- **Tags** — [[quotes]], [[volunteer-folly]] , [[comparative-advantage]], [[omission-bias]], [[action-bias]], **Source** — [[202308101525 — B — The Art of Thinking Clearly]]