To give or to receive, that is the question
It's almost December -- the month of festivities (albeit commercialised), the month of celebrations, the month of sharing and giving.
Perhaps retailers were the ones who came up with that last description for December to boost their sales. It may be just a ploy, but I am willing to believe in the idea of giving during this festive season.
After all, life is not all about receiving. You need to give. You need to learn to give. You can't forever be on the receiving end.
You cannot see the act of giving as a subtraction of your own personal wealth. That's far too myopic. The act of giving goes far beyond the satisfaction of one's material comforts; the act includes the "feel-good" factor that only can be derived when you share, the act itself is a form of socialising -- by making others happy, you are already connecting with others, bridging any gaps that may exist, leaving a better impression of yourself in others. The act is more than just "helping" others; you will eventually "help" yourselves as kindness will come back you.
It's like karma. Cause-and-effect. What goes around comes around. However you want to see it as.
You give, people will remember your givings and they will give back to you.
They will. Stop all your pessimistic and sceptical views of human nature. Because no matter how fucked-up human nature already is, there's one thing that's good -- most of us believe in cause-and-effect, we will give back to you when you give something to us.
I'm not expecting you to give beyond your financial capabilities. For example, I really that grey leather Calvin Klein bag, but I wouldn't expect to receive that for Christmas or for my upcoming birthday, because that bag costs a whopping SGD$599.00 without discount, and because I know that price tag is far beyond what my friends can afford.
BUT, things are a little different if you have had a windfall, when the money that you've gained is not through the means of your own hard work, not through sweating and toiling, not through accummulating lactic acid in every single muscles of your body.
You are expected to treat. To give. To share.
It's not a rule. It's a custom.
It's not wrong not to give. It's not written black-and-white under local laws that the reluctance of sharing a windfall with others is a chargable offence. But it's a custom.
Like if you just won $20 from all ofyour other three opponenets in a mahjong game, you are expected to treat. It's not stated in any mahjong rule book, but it's not a rule.
It's a custom.
Going against this social norm is like defiance. Like disrupting the harmony and the perfectly-balanced Yin and Yang that normal people have scrupulously built and maintained since time immemorial.
And it tels us a lot about one's character.
Selfish? Maybe, but not quite there yet. Money-minded? Certainly, but neither do we have the rights to blame him for that. Because it's not a rule to treat the rest using your winnings from the game. It's MERELY a custom. Greedy? Perhaps, but not to that full extent too.
Because we cannot fault him. It's neither a rule nor a law.
It's JUST custom.
For such person, he shouldn't be expecting anything fromme Santa this Christmas, because he hasn't been good.
"But, Santa! I HAVE been good. I've never squandered a single penny from my parents' wealth! I have scrimped and saved all my money! I collect unwanted things from others to re-use! I've saved a lot of money! I AM a good boy this year!"
"My dear boy, haven't you understand? Life isn't about receiving. You need to learn how to give, how to share. I am merely giving you a taste of your own medicine. So, no pressies for you this Christmas. Now, fuck off."
The act of giving transcends the balance in material well-being. It's about making friends, strengthening bonds and most importantly, it should be about making people happy without expecting any gains in return.
Being stingy and selfish won't get you anywhere. No one would be willing to lend you a helping hand should you need one in future, because people will always remember what a miser you were previously, so there won't be any motivation for them to help you.
Plus, how are you going to get yourself attached if you continue to be so money-minded? If you were to insist on going Dutch for every single meal, movie or taxi ride, your relationship won't last. Such act is just not gentlemanly.
The act of being too overly-concerned with money is just an example of failed moral education in general.
You have failed as a human being.
P.S. Even though I think you guys still cannot afford it, but I still hope for that grey leather Calvin Klein bag for Christmas. =) Alternatively, that white Armani Exchange leather belt, with a huge rectangular buckle which has "AX" on it, is also ideal. $139 before discount. 30% storewide sale at Armani Exchange now. $97 after discount.
Perhaps retailers were the ones who came up with that last description for December to boost their sales. It may be just a ploy, but I am willing to believe in the idea of giving during this festive season.
After all, life is not all about receiving. You need to give. You need to learn to give. You can't forever be on the receiving end.
You cannot see the act of giving as a subtraction of your own personal wealth. That's far too myopic. The act of giving goes far beyond the satisfaction of one's material comforts; the act includes the "feel-good" factor that only can be derived when you share, the act itself is a form of socialising -- by making others happy, you are already connecting with others, bridging any gaps that may exist, leaving a better impression of yourself in others. The act is more than just "helping" others; you will eventually "help" yourselves as kindness will come back you.
It's like karma. Cause-and-effect. What goes around comes around. However you want to see it as.
You give, people will remember your givings and they will give back to you.
They will. Stop all your pessimistic and sceptical views of human nature. Because no matter how fucked-up human nature already is, there's one thing that's good -- most of us believe in cause-and-effect, we will give back to you when you give something to us.
I'm not expecting you to give beyond your financial capabilities. For example, I really that grey leather Calvin Klein bag, but I wouldn't expect to receive that for Christmas or for my upcoming birthday, because that bag costs a whopping SGD$599.00 without discount, and because I know that price tag is far beyond what my friends can afford.
BUT, things are a little different if you have had a windfall, when the money that you've gained is not through the means of your own hard work, not through sweating and toiling, not through accummulating lactic acid in every single muscles of your body.
You are expected to treat. To give. To share.
It's not a rule. It's a custom.
It's not wrong not to give. It's not written black-and-white under local laws that the reluctance of sharing a windfall with others is a chargable offence. But it's a custom.
Like if you just won $20 from all ofyour other three opponenets in a mahjong game, you are expected to treat. It's not stated in any mahjong rule book, but it's not a rule.
It's a custom.
Going against this social norm is like defiance. Like disrupting the harmony and the perfectly-balanced Yin and Yang that normal people have scrupulously built and maintained since time immemorial.
And it tels us a lot about one's character.
Selfish? Maybe, but not quite there yet. Money-minded? Certainly, but neither do we have the rights to blame him for that. Because it's not a rule to treat the rest using your winnings from the game. It's MERELY a custom. Greedy? Perhaps, but not to that full extent too.
Because we cannot fault him. It's neither a rule nor a law.
It's JUST custom.
For such person, he shouldn't be expecting anything from
"But, Santa! I HAVE been good. I've never squandered a single penny from my parents' wealth! I have scrimped and saved all my money! I collect unwanted things from others to re-use! I've saved a lot of money! I AM a good boy this year!"
"My dear boy, haven't you understand? Life isn't about receiving. You need to learn how to give, how to share. I am merely giving you a taste of your own medicine. So, no pressies for you this Christmas. Now, fuck off."
The act of giving transcends the balance in material well-being. It's about making friends, strengthening bonds and most importantly, it should be about making people happy without expecting any gains in return.
Being stingy and selfish won't get you anywhere. No one would be willing to lend you a helping hand should you need one in future, because people will always remember what a miser you were previously, so there won't be any motivation for them to help you.
Plus, how are you going to get yourself attached if you continue to be so money-minded? If you were to insist on going Dutch for every single meal, movie or taxi ride, your relationship won't last. Such act is just not gentlemanly.
The act of being too overly-concerned with money is just an example of failed moral education in general.
You have failed as a human being.
P.S. Even though I think you guys still cannot afford it, but I still hope for that grey leather Calvin Klein bag for Christmas. =) Alternatively, that white Armani Exchange leather belt, with a huge rectangular buckle which has "AX" on it, is also ideal. $139 before discount. 30% storewide sale at Armani Exchange now. $97 after discount.
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