Infectious Generosity

What if generosity could spread like a virus—and change the world for good?

In Infectious Generosity, TED curator and bestselling author Chris Anderson explores a timeless human impulse with renewed urgency and imagination. Drawing from years at the helm of one of the world’s most inspiring platforms, Anderson makes the case that generosity—when shared and amplified—can be a powerful force for healing, connection, and systemic change.

From a London barber offering free haircuts to unhoused people, to large-scale anonymous giving that triggers ripple effects of kindness, to TED’s own transformation through free, online sharing of ideas—these stories reveal the remarkable potential of giving when it’s designed to go viral.

In a time of fractured communities and digital distrust, Anderson offers a bold and hopeful vision: that generosity, far from being a soft virtue, is a radical strategy for building a better future. Both a call to action and a practical guide, Infectious Generosity invites each of us to become catalysts of change—no matter our resources, platform, or background.