The novel “Pay it Forward” gave a name to ideas which existed within philosophy for many years. The concept of paying it forward existed but, without the specific phrase, it was difficult to express quickly. The words, and concept, of paying something back had already been an inherent part of commerce and other aspects of life.
Paying it back
Paying it back is an easy concept because it has been in use for so long. Paying it back is giving back to the one(s) who gave you some equivalent thing. It is possible to “pay back” multiple people (such as a work group). Someone loans you money when you need it, you pay it back when you have it available. Someone babysits for you when an emergency meeting comes up unexpectedly — you babysit for them when they have a need and you are able to do it.
Paying it back does not require it be in the same form. Someone loans you money when you need it, you notice an opening for a job position that your friend might qualify for and you relay the information to them. There are different needs that a person may need within the course of their life and each of them could end up being something to pay “back” or “forward”. Some categories are:
money/finances
time
favors
information
support
social reputation
loyalty
attention or recognition
protection or advocacy
revenge
Paying it forward
Paying it forward means it is not in response — it is done because you can and because it is a positive interaction and generative of benefits to the other(s) and (indirectly) to your own well-being.
“Paying it forward” is centered around the concept that none of us can truly live alone — we all need something from others and others have needs that we can supply. It can be in any of the above categories (except revenge which, by definition, is in response). It might be economical (money), it might be societal interaction, it might be material goods, it might be access to job openings.
Phases of life
My aunt used to talk about people being more able to pay something forward or back in different ways depending on the period of life one is in. Stereotypically, when a person is young, they have lots of energy and possibly some time but less likely money — then they can do those time-consuming tasks such as going door-to-door for a good new candidate for a local campaign. Later, as one “settles in” to a career or family, the time tends to disappear (exactly where, I never quite figured out) but there is still some energy and a bit more money. If fortunate in life, as the energy and time dwindle, one hopes there are greater financial resources to help. Time, energy, and money seem to form a triangle of balance in life which shifts in time and situation.
One aspect of paying back is in the situation of generations. If we are fortunate (and too many unfortunate situations exist), then we are raised by our parents, grandparents, or guardians. We, in turn, pay back our parents by paying forward in the form of taking care of our children. Depending on the social culture, there may also be some direct caring of our parents in their later years.
But what if our parents are no longer around? What if we cannot have, or do not want, children? People still have the opportunity to pay it back/forward via volunteering in a daycare or a senior center or some other positive aspect of our social environment.
For most people, no ledger exists for “debts” where the interactions are written down. It is a regular part of the cycle of life, and needs, and participating only by receiving without engaging in the corresponding “payment” forward will starve society and yourself.
Society thrives best when many unplanned interactions of energy are returned and given.
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