Giving Compass' Take:

• Writing for Stanford Social Innovation Review, American Enterprise Institute's Ryan Streeter talks about the reasons behind civil society participation, and finds that the seeds are embedded in our personalities from an early age, but require cultivation.

• That's where nonprofits come in: What can we do to make sure that the intrinsic nature of social responsibility does not wilt as children become adults? How can we encourage a generation of engaged philanthropists and activists?

• We may be off to a good start if recent movements are any indication. Here's more.

Every year tens of millions of Americans sacrifice their personal time and resources to participate in civil society in some way. Why do they do it? The answers are varied and intertwined, but it might boil down to this: Civic-mindedness starts early, runs deep, and aims higher.

It turns out the fabric of our personal interests are interwoven with strong cords of generosity. Research has shown that babies and toddlers recognize generosity and sociability, and react negatively to their opposite behaviors. Our prosocial tendencies continue into adulthood, but they need consistent encouragement and reinforcement. As public policy researcher Arthur Brooks chronicled in his book, "Who Really Cares," we give and volunteer when we feel responsible for others. Responsibility is cultivated at the household and community levels, often through religious engagement. As Brooks writes, people help others through civil society not because they want a tax break, but because they have a sense of duty and feel obligated to give back to their communities.

In addition, the more people feel duty-bound to serve others through civil association, the happier they are, which is important to understand if we hope to get a better sense of how civil society works. It is a cliché to say that money does not make you happy, and even though many of us try to prove the cliché false, we soon discover, paradoxically, that our lives are “fuller” when we let go of our time, money, and energy for people and causes outside ourselves.

Read the full article about the motivation to participate in civil society by Ryan Streeter at Stanford Social Innovation Review.