Providing assistance and caring for others are actions that are part of hospitality.
Hospitality is a virtue or quality that consists of treating one's neighbor well, with kindness . The term, whose origin is found in the Latin hospitalitas , contemplates the assistance and attention of anyone who needs something.
For example: «The singer thanked the hospitality of his fans, who made him feel at home» , «How are you going to let your cousin sleep on the street? Where is your hospitality? , «Thank you for the dinner and for your hospitality, Clara» .
Hospitality according to culture
In ancient times, hospitality was one of the most valued virtues . That is why people considered it a duty or obligation to be kind to strangers, travelers or foreign people.
In certain Arab and Eastern cultures the importance of hospitality is still maintained, unlike what happens in Western societies, where selfless displays of charity are more common in the countryside and small towns. The complexity of the modern world, however, means that hospitality is usually channeled through non-governmental entities or organizations.
Hospitality requires kindness.
When kindness becomes a crime
In countries where the economic and social situation makes the life and development of its inhabitants difficult, many choose to emigrate. Spain is the chosen destination for many people, especially Latin Americans, who seek better working conditions, more opportunities and security, among other things. However, it is public knowledge that to enter a country it is necessary to meet certain requirements, which we can summarize as having a visa or having inherited the corresponding citizenship.
If these rules are not complied with, the foreign person is generally deported to their place of origin. But sanctions are also usually imposed on locals who contribute in some way to their permanence while they do not have the required papers. In the Spanish case, this penalty reached 10,000 euros , generating a resounding protest in 2009, through the “Save Hospitality” platform.
The fear of hospitality
Another enemy factor of hospitality is the feeling of insecurity that exists, especially in cities. Given the high percentage of crime and its growing trend in large metropolises, such as Madrid or New York , it is common for people to feel afraid of strangers. The repercussions of this "epidemic" are seen, not only when someone does not offer accommodation to those who need it, but in terrible cases in which assistance is denied to an injured person, due to not knowing if it is a staging for a robbery.
Hospitality is often associated with empathy and compassion , two qualities that are becoming increasingly scarce in our fast-paced lives. Many times driven by beliefs that have been instilled in them by their parents, children physically and psychologically attack their schoolmates, often causing irreparable damage, which ends in suicide. Physical defects, homosexuality, learning difficulties, are some of the targets of ridicule and humiliation in countless educational centers. This is the antithesis of hospitality , and many times those who perform it do not believe in their actions, but fear the consequences of disobedience.
Other meanings of the term
The notion of hospitality, in other senses, can be linked to the idea of a banquet . A banquet is a meal or party that is held for celebration , to entertain or honor someone. The host , therefore, is hospitable to the person who is the protagonist of the tribute.
The concept also used to be used with reference to the period in which a person stayed in a hospital , when its concept denoted an area intended for the exercise of charity . Currently, the hospital is associated with the establishment that offers health-related services.