I believe in generosity. It is a currency all on its own, and I don’t think people understand how it works or the role it plays.
I believe that whatever resources you have to give, you should give.
But I’m learning that there are certain rules to follow because it plays into our status role within our culture.
It’s important to learn about status before you start getting your generosity all over people.
Once you understand status and how it works, then you will see the times that generosity is appropriate… and the times it isn’t.
When you are in a higher status role in a relationship or situation, generosity is the most important. And in fact quite often, the more generous you are the higher your status gets.
This is true with money but also time, attention and trust.
And when you are a lower status role generosity is something you can use to leverage or raise your status.
The problem with generosity is that when you don’t see it in combination with status roles, you probably don’t understand the significance and power of it.
It’s also interesting to note that when you are in an almost equal status relationship (because status is never totally equal) generosity only works when its coming from, and appreciated by, both parties.
At almost equal status, if generosity isn’t happening on both sides then there needs to be boundaries because odds are you are being taken advantage of.
That’s the shadow side of generosity.
But when you learn the rules and how to use generosity properly it adds an element of integrity to the situation that wouldn’t otherwise exist.