Thought of the Day

"What does it mean to give? The most common misunderstanding is that 'to give' means 'to renounce' something, to lose it, to sacrifice it. A person who has not risen above a consumer or exploitative psychology focused on accumulation perceives the act of giving in exactly this way.

To give means to manifest our competence to the highest degree. In this very act, our strength, wealth, and power are revealed. Experiencing a vivid sense of life and vitality, I am filled with joy. I feel overwhelmed, expending, alive - and therefore, joyful. 'Giving' brings more joy than 'receiving,' not because it is deprivation, but because through this act I affirm the fact that I am alive."

©️ Erich Fromm