Paying it forward is doing something good for someone else in response to a good deed done on your behalf. It should be done selflessly, without expecting anything in return. The concept was popularized by the 2000 film Pay It Forward. It can be as simple as holding a door or buying coffee for someone.
Paying it forward is a third-party payee concept that involves doing something good for someone in response to a good deed done on your behalf or a gift you received. When you pay it forward, however, you’re not paying back the person who did something nice for you. Instead, do something nice for someone else. For example, if someone changes your tire while you’re stuck on the freeway, you might be shoveling your elderly neighbor’s crosswalk after the snow has fallen.
The concept was popularized in modern times by a 2000 film Pay It Forward, starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt. In this film, a young boy, played by Haley Joel Osment, is given a school assignment that requires him to find a way to change the world. He develops the concept of pay it forward, starting a chain reaction of good deeds.
One of the most important things people should remember about this concept is that it should be done in a selfless spirit. This means that one person helps another without hoping for restitution or good deeds in return. In fact, there are some organizations that allow people to pay for it anonymously, by donating money or doing good deeds without hoping for recognition. As for the recipient of the money, gift or good deed, he is only told to do something good for someone else.
The concept has solid foundations in history. Ben Franklin described this in a letter he wrote to Benjamin Webb in 1784, in which he wrote of his intention to help Webb by lending him money. However, he didn’t want to be reimbursed directly. Instead, Franklin hoped that Webb would at some point meet an honest man in need of financial help and pass him the money.
Paying it forward doesn’t have to mean giving a large sum of money or spending a lot of effort. It could be as simple as holding the door to someone laden with bags or giving up a seat in line to someone who appears in a hurry. It could also mean spending some money on coffee for the person behind you in line at a coffee shop. For those with money who can afford to donate, there are always people in need, but even the smallest free gestures can make a difference.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
