The kindness of strangers

[kiwi_2005]

The effects of our kindness are not zero-sum. Those who receive charity have their lives improved, but those who provide it also benefit. It feels good to be good. Indeed, one recent study found that spending money on others is more rewarding than spending it on oneself. It’s not just short-term pleasure: those who donate wealth and time to others tend to be a lot happier in their entire lives than those who do not. The paradoxical finding here is that one great trick to being happy is to forget about being happy and instead try to increase the happiness of others.

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

[Castout]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

For that 1997-2005

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

So true, i remember i use to do a lot of voluntary work for the community one stunt i did for 9 years every weekend where it got to the point ppl would ask me why do i keep doing it, do you know that in the city ppl get paid for doing what your doing for free. I don't know why i did it, it just made me feel great at the end of the day. I did this work from 1997 to 2005 every weekend. If it feels good to be good then your going to keep at it. I think that's why ppl run off across the other side of the world to help the needy cause it makes them feel great as well. We all chase happiness.

I haven't done any voluntary work since then, maybe i should get back into it.

"It feels good to feel good".

Well, I am realistic and honest enough about myself to say that that way I only feel when I be good to people that are dear to me. Regarding strangers who may have been the object of my "charity" or helpful deeds, doing them good does not make me feel good, but that it is the feeling of being needed or wanted to carry on is what attracted me when I engaged on unpayed work and engagement. But that was only because the things I then did in any way had a meaning and an interest for me personally. Other, non-idealistic work I never would have done if I would not have gotten payed (and I had many boring, uninteresting jobs, too) - what a surprise!

I also think that it would be a better idea iof especially unemployed people who spend their time with free charity projects maybe would invest their energy for finding a job in case they live on wellfare. Because working for free and not getting money is something that you must be able to afford, and not let the community pay for it, indirectly.