Which guy is lazy?
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It’s pretty easy to judge, right?*
Now ask yourself, which of the two men is more generous? Maybe it’s not so easy to tell.
Cultural stereotypes and norms play a huge role in our perception of other people. Even generosity has some images associated with it – Santa Claus, or religious figures, come to mind.
But, by and large, it’s pretty hard to identify a generous person without spending some time with them, learning their habits, perceptions, interests, and motivations. Even then, it’s probably going to be a mixed bag of generosity. Or, at worst, impossible to judge.
Surprisingly, even the one person whose generosity should be well-known, isn’t really …
… the person in the mirror.
After all, are we really as generous as we think? Conversely, are we really as selfish as we feel?
It’s a generosity jumble.
If you’re in doubt, give a little more and see what happens.
Yesterday’s gift of time … Gave a fast food gift card to a person who asked using a cardboard sign … spent several hours in the martial arts studio over the last few days with my kids … read story to them as well the past couple nights.
* I really have no idea which of the two men in the pictures is more lazy.