Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tuesday. September 20, 2011...Givers and Takers

There are at least 2 basic types of people, the givers and the takers.

Most children are takers throughout their childhood. They have to be taught to give and to share. Those that never learn, are deemed selfish and often remain takers for the rest of their lives. If your parents or your teachers are givers, you learn from their example and can often be taught to become a giver. Many of the businessmen who rise to the top of their companies are often talented takers. They know how to take advantage and take control and how to use other people. Givers are usually good workers but are too willing to compromise and work with the group for the advancement of all. A taker is constantly striving to get more and more, never satisfied with what he has. A giver feels good when he has had the chance to help another individual. He often doesn't need to acquire as much as the taker.
He doesn't need status or symbols of achievement to know he has been successful.

Now all of us are not perfectly one type or another. We all have moments of giving and of taking but we know down deep whether we are givers or not. Takers don't always realize that they are using other
people as they take. If you tell a taker that they are takers, they will probably argue with you. But their basic instinct is to take what they can when they can and feel no remorse for the ones they have taken from.

Most great religions preach that giving is it's own reward and that it is better to give than receive. Takers believe they are religious and following the examples set forth in their religions, but often they do not give freely. They will deny help to the needy and food to the hungry if they believe that the person is unworthy. If they were givers they would give with no question and be happy for the recipient.

Think about what type of person George W Bush is and what type of person Barrack Obama is and compare their followers and political organizations to see whether they are givers or takers. It really comes down to whether we are a nation of givers or takers and what type of person we want leading us and what kind of actions we should pursue.