Which ethnic or national groups have the biggest hearts?

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Often people exclaim negatively about an ethnic or racial group.  But why not look at the best of some of them, for example in an exploration of which group is considered to have the biggest hearts?

Several years ago Universum studied 300,000 university students around the world to assess their interest in helping others through their career aspirations and found Canadians tops with the biggest hearts. 


Canadians, Americans, Irish, Danish and Portuguese have the biggest hearts, according to Universum.  These undergraduates more often than other groups choose career paths dedicated to a cause or to serve a greater good as one of their top three career goals.   But that isn't true of other groups. 

On the other end, Russians, Dutch, Italians, Indians and last but not least Germans could be considered apathetic to the "greater good", depending of course on how they define it. At least that was found by researchers at the time.

Canadians are tops in the heap of caring for others, and it forms part of the student mindset in that country to think of the common good. In the US, however, people believe in small government intervention and big philanthropy. Following cultural tradition and the well-known dictum, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country," is the way most Americans think.  Many believe it is their duty and obligation to make a contribution to society and even the world.

For Europeans, however, governmental bodies have typically taken on the responsibilities for overcoming environmental and social problems, perhaps adversely affecting how Europeans engage in civic duties. With the exception of the Irish, Danish and Portuguese, based on Universum's research at least, European students are by majority egocentric, or at least that is the initial impression from the study results.

Michal Kalinowski, Universum's CEO, believes differently. "Students do evaluate employer ethics and responsibilities, just like they want to make their own positive contributions. Understandably, ones' own benefits come first, yet many in this generation would dismiss the trivial desk job over the opportunity to make a significant difference", said the hopeful Mr. Kalinowski following the research study.

Yet even as this study shows the best of us; there is even more relative to what was found years ago.

Social service programs continue to be abundant in many European countries.  In the Netherlands seniors have many needs taken care of by the safety net woven into the fabric of aging.

Other countries have cultures where seniors are embraced kindly as they grow older, such as in Bali, for example, where respect for the elders remains a culture positive.

Even as our world is reeling from the blows of the bad, what we often ignore is the good in ourselves and in others.

The research in 2010, and the observations of what is good in the world now, can help us understand that, as ethics, religion and poetry proclaim, we are brothers and sisters after all, with things in common that keep us at times strike a balance in ourselves and our relationships with others.  The research reveals we have much to learn from one another across national borders that can help us address the world's greatest problems with the unified approach international groups are seeking.