generosity...

[joko]

i have just seen an episode of dickinson deal, where david unexpectedly put in an extra £20 of his own money, out of the blue, because the old lady was trying to get money to repair her boiler and he didnt want her to be cold...

2 of the people i was with, instantly sneered, 'is that all, tight git, hes loaded, he could afford more, or to pay to fix it entirely' etc etc

so rather than thinking (as i did) ah thats nice of him, they just thought he was tight etc...!!

i am amazed! he didnt have to give anything at all! its not expected from him, and im sure he doesnt do it often...but the attitude is that its not good enough

- which also rears up when a celeb donates to charity -(its never enough)

and i have also seen it when you buy a new item to replace and old one and offer a friend the old one - and they turn their nose up because its not a brand new gift ..(one even said "oh i see, so i get the sh1tty old one while you get a nice new one"...! ...er well yes! because i am paying for a new one!...and you are being given a perfectly good FREE one...you expect me to give you the new one?? she could not understand why i was furious with her ( i just took the item back...she wanted it then of course)

i also once gave a bottle of wine to someone as a thankyou - its was not expected from me, nor did i feel obliged to do it, but i decided to be nice...and i heard him call me a 'tight git' because it wasnt a fancy one but a mid range one!!
if i hadnt have bothered, nothing would have been said at all!

so why cant we just appreciate a nice gesture instead of wanting more?

why do some appear not to realise how rude and exasperating this is?

cheers

[woofgang]

I think its a glass half empty thing...these folk always look for the worst in everyone whatever the situation...its also a bit childish IMO "You've got more than me so i should have what you've got:

[woofgang]

PS when we were kids, we were taught to say a proper thank you for gifts no matter what....maybe its upbringing too?

[alexanderd]

I saw the programme thought it was very nice of him, he didnt have to give anything

[albaqwerty]

I too saw that programme and thought it was very nice of him. It's not the first time I've seen him do something like that. Who knows, off screen he might have paid for a new boiler for her.

I was made to write thank you letters for Christmas and birthday gifts when I was younger and have tried to instill that to my children.

[Bbbananas]

There are people like you describe joko, true. I would like to think they were in the minority.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth - isn't that what they say?!

[jomifl]

Joko, sounds like you need to get a new set of friends.

[Bbbananas]

Ooh jomi - I do love to listen to a saxophone....

[yinyang]

I din't see the programme but that was nice of him. However, I suspect that even if he put in the full amount, the complainers would then say he was showing off about having so much money.You can never win with some people, nothing you do for them is right.

My children always write thank you notes; just like I had to. I know it's appreciated by the gift givers , especially the more elderly aunties.

My local charity shop turned me away with 3 bags of toys and books last week - said they were too busy to take any more stuff. Made me feel like I was bothering them : (

[jomifl]

So Sal.. did you try that link I put up a few days ago?

[wildwood]

The trouble is that if he makes it too much others will expect it too and you'll have sellers 'looking' at him to follow up on a low offer. There are people who will moan at any so called celebrity whatever they do, it is jealousy. So is the gift of used appliance to ungrateful friends.

As above, it is a matter of manners and pleasantness.