Maybe I should have stood in bed...
Andrew Cory
Last Thursday, I woke myself up early, headed down to St. Vincent DePaul (a local homeless shelter/soup kitchen), and said "I'm here for my shift! What do you need?" I was told that they had too many volunteers, and I should just go home to enjoy my Thanksgiving.
Sometimes I love humans.
It was on my way out of the car when I hit my head on the roll bar. It wasn't a car accident or anything, just a simple exiting the car bit of mishap.
I believe that good works are private-- that talking about them is bragging and cheapens the experience. On the other wrist, by talking about them, by making it clear that helping other people is the expectation norm for an adult member of society we make such works more likely. What are your thoughts on the subject?
I'll comment more at length, later on: or sat night or sunday.
I Look forward to reading the comments.
What if a person wants to brag, but his boast will most certainly encourage others, should his adviser
advise him to speak or no?
Again, looking at this 'morally' speaking about them to brag will influence the way we talk about our works in a manner that typically does not lead, in the end, to encouragement, but to us looking like a hypocrite, whereas speaking about them in encouragement should lead to a different appearance, and in turn, a difference response.
Buddy has nailed it here. A braggart will steer the story to be about himself primarily, not the good done by his works. The motivations behind the speech will certainly color it, and thus a braggart may even act to discourage others from participating in good works. Therefore speaking for the purpose of bragging should probably be avoided in most cases, even if it's bragging about a good deed done.
Sorry to hear that; but I still like my "scab writer with the MacBook" story better.
Well, to be honest, "cheapening the experience" is a rather selfish perspective. I know that sounds odd, but it's true: the only person who loses out by bragging (if indeed you are bragging) is you. Consider three scenarios.
1. You do good works. The recipient benefits. You brag about it. You feel guilty, because you should be more altruistic than boastful. Meanwhile, someone else hears about it, and is inspired to do more good works.
2. You do good works. The recipient benefits. You talk about it, and someone thinks you're bragging. They think less of you. Meanwhile, someone else hears about it, and is inspired to do more good works.
3. You do good works. The recipient benefits. You don't discuss it. You feel good, because you're being altruistic. No one thinks less of you for bragging; but no one else hears about it, and so no one is inspired to do more good works.
While clearly you can cross the line bragging, mere discussion brings a lot of benefit for little to no harm.
I can't recall the Heinlein quote exactly, but he wrote that no one does anything without some selfish reasons, even if the only selfishness is that doing good makes you feel good. So acknowledge the selfish reasons, but do the good anyway.
No.
If you want to do something good, then do it and tell no one. And if others praise you, tell them you deserve none. And don't tell yourself how great you are for doing good things either.
If you want to encourage others to do what you believe are good things, then do so, without referencing your own acts.
If you want to feel good and be worshipped for being such a great person, get a dog.
This is the same problem I have with the claim that doctors practice a "noble profession." It would be noble if they took a vow of poverty, refusing all payment for services (no, the occasional pro bono service does not cut it for a profession that sells life-or-death necessities at an average salary of around $200k/year). Now, I'm not saying they shouldn't get paid, just that they can't also claim to be "noble" at six-figure incomes.
I find being horizontal a more natural position for the most part. But that's just me.
I guess though it kinda just all depends upon what you're doing.
As for your other points, I reckon I'm pretty much with you.
A little advertisement never hurts if you go about it the right way, but the best advertisement is always action.
A little action almost always beats a lotta words.
That's especially true when your actions speak especially well of you.
Maybe you volunteer at the soup-kitchen all the time (I'm perfectly willing to believe lovely things about you), but a lot of those other people volunteering that morning don't. They turned out with little honest thought for others, only concerned that they could feel good about themselves upon returning to their own lives.
Truly thinking about others would involve volunteering on Februrary 5th. I don't think February 5th is a popular holiday. Thats my point. People that are hungry at Thanksgiving will probably be hungry then, too. But there won't be volunteers breaking down the doors of the soup kitchen, demanding to be allowed to help. Just the regular ol' volunteers, serving the regular ol' stuff to the regular ol' people. Not quite as glamorous as volunteering on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
(P.S Sorry you bumped your head :( That can really hurt)
feel good and be appreciated\honored\respected should aim to do so, exclusively, through doing good.
And anyone who wishes to prove his worth in this fashion, will receive from me, at least, more appreciation\honor\respect than they were hoping for.
If you need to boast, boast about being good.
Those who can do, do, those who can't, or won't, boast.
are quite arrogant and open about their good acts.
Oh, how I love em.
I disagree. They are rare, certainly, but there is an ideal one can strive for in which one benefits another with no self-reward.
I agree. Where I live, the local school system requires every high school student to put in a fixed amount of "volunteer" hours in the community in order to graduate. That's not "volunteering" when it's required of you.
3 days a weel I go to our local soup kitchen to volunteer. I have the time and I like meeting all the folks, both workers and clients. However, I admit to also having a selfish motive. I play piano for them during the meal. It's nice for them (I hope) because it's live and always different, and it's nice for me because I like to play, and I get a captive audience to try new material out on :) I can also get a free meal.
However, my point is that I was given a gift of music and it's beholden upon me to share it. I also sometimes take my keyboards down to the park or the sidewalk and just set up and play.
respects,
I know the idiom Andy.
That's why I said I prefer being horizontal (knocked out).
It was a pun on your idiom.
A pundiom.
One of the first things I learned in the US Army 55 years ago was never to volunteer. The devil finds you soon enough, and puts your sorry ass on a work detail.
And no, I didn't grow up any more antisocial or less civic oriented than the guys and gals who graduated from your high school.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.