Friday, December 19, 2008

Taking and giving

There are three kinds of people in the world: those who can count, and those who can't.

Thank you, thank you! And now the main course: the actual blog posting:

There are two kinds of people in the world.

Those who think the world owes them something, and so they take.

And those who think that they owe the world. That the very fact of their existence means a debt which they must spend their lives repaying. And so they give.

There are always exceptions, sure. People who act differently on different days, or at different stages in their lives, or when they're around different people or in different places. A business meeting. Line at the grocery store watching the women in front of you fumbling with her purse. A refugee camp in Chad. A subway station in Bucharest.

So maybe there's a third type: the person who gives when they can but takes when they must. Or wait, people whose circumstances force them to be one way when their morals might indicate a different path. Or what about someone who comes through a life-changing event deeply changed? That's what, five types of people now?

It's a simplification, but like many cliches it got that way because it works.

Two kinds of people: Those who think the world owes them something; and those who think they owe the world. Something to keep in mind as the holidays approach.

Discuss amongst yourselves....


p.s. 25,900 words to date.

1 comment:

floreta said...

this is interesting. to have the world divided in two: takers and givers. of course, there is a give and take to everything but in ones worldview, i suppose one can be innately one over the other... will have to ponder some more.