Pay It Forward

More like "pay it forward for a pat on the back." I'm sure by now you have all heard of the idea of paying it forward: someone does something nice for you - so do something nice for someone else. Don't get me wrong, it is a great idea with great intentions, but when people do it for the wrong reasons it IRKS me til no end.

If someone happens to go out of their way to do something nice for you or does a good deed that helps you out, that is great! By all means go and do something nice for that person or someone else you come into contact with, but don't post  boast about it on Facebook. The point of paying it forward (to my understanding) is for the fact of doing something nice - not about the recognition. This world needs more random acts of kindness, but what it does not need is people to brag about the acts of kindness that they perform.

I see a lot of people post something to the effect... "thank you to the nice lady in (some restaurant) for finding my phone in the booth and returning it to the manager. So I paid their bill. Least I could do!"

Are you kidding me? What am I supposed to say to that - you should have paid that and then their mortgage too?

I can see how much of a hassle it would be for you to actually lose your phone. The process of cancelling that one, getting a new one, etc...not a huge deal, but still an annoyance. I too would be thankful to said nice lady for saving me an inconvenience. But people looking for a pat on the back just totally reverses the intention of the good deed!

Its like your status screams "Hey! Facebook friends... look at how much of an AWESOME person I am! Tell me nice things about myself! Like my status!"

I was always taught that if you do something nice for someone and more than two people know about it (you and that person) you did it for the wrong reasons. My best friend Tanya knows what I'm talking about....

:)


Another one of my favorites is "I treated her to (enter meal/coffee/whatever). Good for you! Why is that important to the conversation? Did someone ask if you treated the other person? Friendship should not be about tallying points. You treat - I treat - sometimes we split. Don't do me any favors by picking up the entire tab if you are only doing it for some type of status. Believe me, I can very well afford to pay for my appetite.

Anyway - end of rant, but I was triggered last night by another Facebook Bragbook post.

I'll hold off on the rants for a while, but next will be on the topic of "Sympathy Status" another topic on which I have lots to say about. :)