Generosity is the tendency to share beyond self-interest.
Generosity is a concept that comes from the Latin generosĭtas and refers to the inclination to give and share over one's own interest or utility . It is a virtue and a positive value that can be associated with altruism , charity and philanthropy .
The generous person thinks about sharing what they have with others who are less fortunate. Their conduct is based on recognizing the needs of others and trying to satisfy them to the best of their ability. For example: a person dining at a restaurant has the possibility of being generous and leaving a significant tip to the waiter who served them. Otherwise, it will be a selfish or greedy individual who does not take into account the importance of the tip for the worker and, therefore, is not interested in the well-being of the other.
Ways to develop generosity
Generosity is not only associated with money or material things. An individual can be generous with their time and dedicate themselves to charitable work, without asking for anything in return. Caring for a sick person, cleaning a beach, accompanying an elderly person or sheltering a stray dog are actions that are also part of generosity.
It can be said that generosity seeks the common good of society . The generous person does not seek a reward for his actions, but rather does what he believes is right and fair. The logic of his thinking indicates that, if all human beings were generous and would donate part of their material or abstract resources, the world would be a better place.
Generosity can be associated with solidarity and altruism.
Moliere's "The Miser"
Throughout history there have been many literary works that have addressed the topic of generosity and stinginess. Among all of them we could highlight, for example, "The Miser" ( 1668 ) written by Moliére .
In it we are told the life of Harpagon , a man whose only thing on his mind is adding and adding money. This causes him not only to not take others into account but also not to take himself into account. Hence, they put aside their dreams or desires with the sole objective of raising a significant amount of money for the future.
This is a very harsh criticism that he makes against society in which the elements that significantly prevail are the desire for power and material wealth, compared to really important values such as generosity. However, it is also present in reality through the work of NGOs or volunteers who, without receiving any change, help others.
"A Christmas Carol" and Scrooge's generosity
In addition to the aforementioned work, another work that has also become one of the classics of literature of all time is also very significant. We are referring to "A Christmas Carol" , which the writer Charles Dickens published in 1843 .
It tells the story of Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge , a very stingy man who treats people very badly and whose only obsession is money. However, all that will change when at Christmas some ghosts make him remember his past, see his present and discover his future.