Is It Better To Give or Receive?

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   Venus Riveraposted 9 years ago

   Is It Better To Give or Receive?
   
   

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   Zelkiiroposted 9 years ago

   It's not a binary--there is always something to receive.
   
   The simple receiving of gifts is nice because, well, free stuff! However, if you give stuff to others, you're still getting something out of it, whether it's the possibility of that gift being repaid back to you, or simply the feel-good feeling of having done something nice.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      True, but giving or receiving is a choice. Thank you for your input.

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   Sara Jofreposted 9 years ago

   Depends on what is given and received... And depends in what you have or don't have.
   If you are poor you still like to give, but it's better to receive. You feel grateful to people who give to you. If you have enough for you, you will have a lot more pleasure giving than receiving.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      We all have something to give but it's truly how the other person receive it. For example, an advice could be good or bad. It's the small gestures that counts. Thank you for always leaving your input.

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   KU37posted 9 years ago

   There are some well-meaning people who feel obligated to give a little extra to their loved-ones this time of year.  Many are familiar with Jesus’ saying that it is better to give than to receive.  But the Bible also says that we need to have a sense of perspective.  Consumerism has grown so out of control that we have turned a simple one day holiday into an entire season of over-consumption, to the extent that a large sector of our economy is now dependent on how much unneeded stuff the population purchases.  Keep some perspective.  Remember the planet.  It's better to give.  But keep it simple.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      They say that Jesus is the reason for the season. Thank you for your input.

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      KU37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Venus, not to pick nits, but speaking for myself, I would prefer if they said "Jesus is the reason for the day", instead of "the season".  I know it doesn't rhyme.

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      Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not so certain, anymore. I'm a convert o Islam and yet I still love the Carols, the Christmas Celebrations, the Lovely Christmas feeling.
      After all, I'sa (Jesus) was a Prophet (PBUH) and the Messiah, so I also celebrate his birth.

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   lambservantposted 9 years ago

   I am poor and while it's nice to receive, and have been blessed by it, I would much prefer the giving.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Rich or poor it really doesn't matter what you are because giving and receiving is what makes this world go around. Thank you for leaving your input.

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   Rod Marsdenposted 9 years ago

   I try to buy the present to suit the person I will eventually give it to. There is some pleasure to be had in such scheming. I suppose I would say the giving turns out to be best if the other person is surprised and delighted.
   
   Many years ago a little five year old girl with blond hair and a crooked smile gave me a tiny Snoopy badge for Christmas. I was very surprised and delighted by this gesture. Well, the little girl grew up and has recently had a child of her own. We still exchange gifts at Christmas but I still have that tiny Snoopy badge as a reminder of a past Christmas. I'll have to show it to her some time.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      That's too sweet. Thank you for sharing that short story with me.

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   gmwilliamsposted 9 years ago

   
   
   BOTH in EQUAL measure I say. There are some people who give and give endlessly.  This results in resentment & other forms of psychological problems because they have not set boundaries as to when enough is enough.  They are also afraid to receive because they have been conditioned that to ask for something is deemed to be selfish.
   
   So they are loathe to ask for what they need, want & desire.  They even feel that others' needs are more important than their own.  As a result of such thinking, these people are severely put upon & taken advantage of, even abused.  They also feel martyred.  Some even become quite adept at manipulating & using guilt to make others know that they are NOT appreciated & taken for GRANTED! 
   
   Then there are others who believe in only receiving.  They see nothing wrong with asking, even demanding what they want, expecting to RECEIVE.  After all, they maintain that if they ask for something, others should supply it.  They are of the school that they are ENTITLED. They contend that the world belongs to the TAKERS, not the givers.  They even rationalize that everyone receives in one form or another, so let's stop saying that receiving is somehow less than positive.
   
   Smart people know that there is a balance of giving & receiving.  There are times that they give & times when it is alright, even healthy to receive.  They know how to establish boundaries as to when to say yes & when to say no.  They refuse to let others take advantage of them; however, they refuse to use &/or take advantage of others for their gain.

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      KU37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      These very real problems are more prevalent in countries where there’s plenty of stuff to be given and received.  Thank you for that perspective - very astute.

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   M. T. Dremerposted 9 years ago

   While searching for the perfect gift can often be a pain, I still think it's better to give. I often find myself looking forward to the reactions of the people I bought for than I do opening my own gifts in the holiday season. There is a certain pressure when receiving a gift that you might not have the 'right' reaction. Which is kind of silly, but it's hard to dispel.

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      Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The experience of giving is a wonderful thing. Thank you for leaving your input.

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   manatita44posted 9 years ago

   They go hand in hand, rather like Grace and self-effort.
   
   You may go to a nice classical concert to see a particular Maestro or Virtuoso. You go because you feel that you will be thrilled by his musical genius, style, range, performance, orchestra ....
   
   At this point you are receiving. Still, when you stand in ovation, or clap, or spend your hard earned money at the box office, he is happy and is also receiving from the standpoint of prestige, audience, finance and so forth. He will not feel the same with an empty hall. So at this point you are giving.
   
   Flowers give of their Fragrance, sacrifice, beauty ... but we give when we admire them, talk to them, water them and offer them to our loved ones. Giving and receiving are constant in life. Giving is a need and receiving yet another need. Yet those who are conscious of this, continue to give and progress or evolve much faster. Salaam!.

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    Jodahposted 9 years ago

    You have to find the balance between the two. It is nice to both give and receive but some people feel obliged to give a gift in return if they receive one and usually try to make it of similar value. This puts pressure on some people who can't really afford it.  So even those who mean well by giving a generous gift may actually be doing the receiver a disservice in certain instances. My wife is fabric artist and makes most gifts for female relatives o due to the labor involved in the making it is difficult for them to determine the true value.

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       Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Of course, it's very hard to balance the two but we still do it. Thank you for sharing your input.

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    Abhinav4192posted 9 years ago

    If you are insolvent, its better to be at receiving end. But if you are affluent, start doing your part in improving the life of others who are less fortunate then you.

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       Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Good answer thank you for leaving your input.

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    Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years ago

    I'm not so certain, anymore. I'm a convert o Islam and yet I still love the Carols, the Christmas Celebrations, the Lovely Christmas feeling.
    After all, I'sa (Jesus) was a Prophet (PBUH) and the Messiah, so I also celebrate his birth.
    I think the Prophet, Mohammed (PBUH), would have agreed with me.  He also thought that Jesus was a great prophet also.

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       Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Your entitle to your opinion but me and my house will serve the Lord.

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       KU37posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).  Good EVERY day advice.

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       Twilight Lawnsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Why has HubPages become such a hotbed of Born Again Christian intolerance?
       Your patronising reply is so typical.
       I just wanted to contribute and show that other religions respect Jesus also, but just try to remember that it is God who is paramount.

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    lone77starposted 9 years ago

    It's always better to give than to receive.
    
    The key point is on the attitude behind one's actions.
    
    Receiving for selfish purposes is the root of all evil. Self-concern, selfishness, self-importance and the like are where all evil actions come from. This is Ego, according to Buddha, Christ and Kabbalists.
    
    Giving for the purpose of looking good to others is a form of selfish receiving.
    
    Receiving for the purpose of giving others pleasure is a form of loving altruism.
    
    Giving without any self-concern makes us more like the source of all things.
    
    When you love others as if they were yourself, you help to heal the world.

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       Venus Riveraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Yes! you have a valid point and a very interesting way of seeing things and I like that a lot. Thank you for sharing your comment.

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    arifmehmoodposted 9 years ago

    you never receive anything without giving something.

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