MacKenzie Scott says we underestimate the impact of small acts of kindness. Science agrees

The philanthropist offers a hopeful vision for dark times. Research backs her up.

MacKenzie Scott. [Photo: Getty Images]

Whatever you think about the charitable gifts of MacKenzie Scott, no one would describe them as small. The novelist and philanthropist gave away $7 billion in 2025. That’s more than her ex-husband Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has given away in his entire lifetime. But when Scott penned her end-of-year essay reflecting on her efforts, she wasn’t focused on eye-popping numbers or dramatic........

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