Pay it forward...

[c172]

I had heard of this concept before, but forgotten about it. It's where the person in front of you pays for their own goods, and then yours, and then that can start a chain reaction of good will.

I was paid forward for the first time yesterday, at a Ralphs supermarket (chain store). About $40 worth of groceries.

I'm disabled, and usually fight tooth and nail against charity on me. So, I kind of lost my composure a bit. But then the young lady checking me through said that he's a Christian pastor, they know him well, and he does that all the time, and that it's called "Pay it forward".

In Florida, a man refused to participate in the PIF chain at a Starbucks, feeling like it wasn't spontaneous.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/man-deli...s-25088176

Looking back on it, he's potentially right. The first party in the chain gets the benefit of paying for another, and the very last gets the benefit of a free, or partially free order.

Any of you participated in this phenomenon yet? What do you think, if anything?

[LastPoet]

Nope and it seems like a pyramid scheme to me.

[GrandizerII]

Sounds like a manipulative thing to do.

[Alex K]

Why? It would totally piss me off.
Social pressure =!= good will

[abaris]

Obviously doesn't exist in my parts. Seems like a bit of peer pressuring going on as Alex already said. Incite a little guilt so the chain keeps on working.

I prefer the freely giving without expecting anything back method.

[Exian]

Where I'm from, paying it forward isn't directly attached to the moment you were paid forward by someone else. In other words, in a check out line, you aren't meant to turn around and pay it forward to the guy behind you, who then does the same, and so on. Nor do you announce it to the world. Instead, when it happens to you you're meant to carry that feeling of surprise around in your pocket to inspire you to be spontaneously charitable when the time is right. And it doesn't have to be monetary; as long as there's an element of spontaneity, inspiration, charity, and a little anonymity- that'll do.

[stillagnostic]

I would say paying it forward and helping people who are having a really hard time or unable to do things on their own is probably a good thing.

[robvalue]

Hmm, I've never heard of or experienced this.

I think it's a nice idea in theory, but I agree it should not be announced or explained in detail when it happens. I mean, being charitable is a good thing as long as you don't attach strings. I've given away food to people who I think need it, and then I just walk away. I don't explain why I did it or that I expect them to do anything in return.

In the supermarket example, you could just stick a twenty down and say "this is towards the next guy's shopping." Then leave it at that.

I think good will inspires good will anyhow, and doesn't need to be formalised.

[bennyboy]

I think the idea is if someone wants to pay you back, you just tell them to pass it on. I don't think you go around saying, "I'll help you, but you gotta make me a solemn promise."

[Mental Outlaw]

I think its pretty stupid if you don't take financial differences into account. For example if the CEO of a fortune 500 company paid for my groceries then thats great, whats $500 to him? But if I'm suppose to pay for someone elses groceries then I simply wouldn't be able to do it. I could probably spare $15 to someone less fortunate then myself, but if we just give what we can then this singularity starts to form where people towards the bottom are giving practically nothing. I'm all for giving money to the poor, but paying it forward doesn't make any sense.