Why does being good feel so bad.

[BoomerD]

Sometimes I feel like my being a good person is used against me by people who don't.

MotionMan

And thus the old saying, "Nice guys finish last." Someone's always ready to take advantage of the nice guy.

 

[JEDI]

Long story short:

I went into the restroom at work;
One of the guys on our floor (not from my company) left his iPad 1 in the stall (and I knew it was his because I saw him with it earlier today);
Even though I really want an iPad, I returned it to him immediately because I knew it was the right thing to do.

Now, I kinda feel like such a sucker for doing the right thing. Why can't doing the right thing feel better (at least for me).

MotionMan

and what if u didnt know who the ipad belonged to?

for me, i have no desire for an ipad.
i would have returned it if i knew who it belonged to. else i would played with it a little then put up a lost and found sign the next day

 

[MotionMan]

and what if u didnt know who the ipad belonged to?

I would have poked around in it and found any contact info for the owner and returned it.

MotionSuckerMan

 

[zinfamous]

is this a troll post? You obviously kept the iPad; and being a lawyer, you knew that the proper thing was to document online that the device had been returned.

:sneaky:

 

[MotionMan]

is this a troll post? You obviously kept the iPad; and being a lawyer, you knew that the proper thing was to document online that the device had been returned.

:sneaky:

Yeah, I thought of that, too.

I have a devious mind, but, sadly, am still not evil.

MotionMan

 

[D1gger]

Yeah, well, his thank you was somewhat underwhelming, IMHO, too.

MotionMan

That is because he really didn't want it back. He wanted to be able to tell his wife it was stolen, so he could justify getting a new and improved IPAD2.

Your honesty foiled his brilliant plan, and now that he has his old fecal matter covered IPAD1 back, why would he thank you?

 

[angminas]

To be a thief is to be a slave. I don't let little pieces of plastic or paper determine who I am. When we steal, we cause emotional harm to ourselves and others, just as surely than a slap in the face. Now, a single slap isn't going to kill someone, but it is going to hurt them...so anybody with any wisdom doesn't just slap strangers because they can get away with it.

Hurting people is like pollution. It doesn't just disappear- it comes back on you. It makes the world that much smaller and darker a place to live in. Me, I try hard to do the opposite, and I don't pay too much attention to the laughter of those who are too foolish to see the wisdom of that. If they're not wise enough to know better than to steal, they're not wise enough to judge me.

 

[Muse]

Yeah, I thought of that, too.

I have a devious mind, but, sadly, am still not evil.

MotionMan

Ah, that's part of this isn't it? I don't particularly have a devious mind and I think I'm better off for it. If I do, I'm not particularly aware of it. The thing of it is, if you start trying to figure out how you can get away with a deception you start working up "a devious mind." I instinctively resist that. I don't cheat on my taxes, I try and to a great extent succeed at being up front with people. It saves me a lot of aggravation and my digestion and general health are presently excellent.

At one time I was at a crossroads, about to graduate from the U and took the LSAT. I did zero prep, it was sort of a lark. I got good enough score to be accepted to most law schools but didn't apply to any. I figured that lawyers mostly had devious natures. I know now that it might not be necessary to develop a devious nature to succeed in some areas of law, but at the time I thought it best to give law a pass.

 

[guyver01]

I went into the restroom at work;
One of the guys on our floor (not from my company) left his iPad 1 in the stall (and I knew it was his because I saw him with it earlier today);
Even though I really want an iPad, I returned it to him immediately because I knew it was the right thing to do.

That just screams "security trap" to me...

Be glad you passed with Flying colors.

 

[MotionMan]

That just screams "security trap" to me...

Be glad you passed with Flying colors.

Nah. I know the guy and he is totally the type to leave his iPad in the can. And no one there cares enough to set such a trap.

(But I did think about it at the time.)

MotionMan

 

[JEDI]

Nah. I know the guy and he is totally the type to leave his iPad in the can. And no one there cares enough to set such a trap.

(But I did think about it at the time.)

MotionMan

wtf is a security trap? and why does it matter to private sector non govt clearance jobs?

 

[MotionMan]

wtf is a security trap? and why does it matter to private sector non govt clearance jobs?

We are in a large office building and have had things disappear from peoples offices. If there is a thief working in the building, they should try to catch him red-handed, but I doubt they would set up such a sting.

MotionMan

 

[guyver01]

wtf is a security trap?

A "security trap" is when security suspects a thief... and sets out a "trap", ie: expensive electronics, someplace inconspicuous, seeing if they take the bait.

 

[JEDI]

A "security trap" is when security suspects a thief... and sets out a "trap", ie: expensive electronics, someplace inconspicuous, seeing if they take the bait.

for an abandoned ipad in a bathroom?

 

[guyver01]

for an abandoned ipad in a bathroom?

can you think of a better place? people wont think a 'sting' would be left in the bathroom... but ya stick a sensor tag inside it... and set the alarms off as ya leave the building.

 

[Schadenfroh]

What if you rooted the ipad, installed a trojan, returned it, harvested his credit card information and used it to buy your own ipad?

Now that would be pure evil... D:

 

[lxskllr]

What if you rooted the ipad, installed a trojan, returned it, harvested his credit card information and used it to buy your own ipad?

Now that would be pure evil... D:

That's how a REAL lawyer would do it. How'd this hack get a job anyway :^D

 

[KeithTalent]

Wouldn't you have felt like a thieving dirtbag if you had kept it? How could you have not? How could you have ever really enjoyed it, knowing what you had done?

I've always instinctively and immediately done the right thing in circumstances such as this, and never once felt bad about it. In fact, just the opposite.

Feel good about yourself, MM. Feel strong. Honest men get to sleep well at night, and their bad karma never comes back to bite them.

What this guy said.

KT

 

[BudAshes]

I was always taught that before you ever stole anything, to think about how much is your dignity worth. If it's worth 700 bucks then go ahead, just know you're not getting it back.

 

[HeXen]

I've been doing things "right" my whole life.
And frankly it sucks. I usually get fucked over for my kindness. Am pretty sure I'd be a lot happier if I just did want I wanted.

reality is you can't be kind all the time because so many people will take advantage of you. thats no shit either. Be it your neighbor, relative or a company/corportation.

Just think how many times we get screwed over by utility companies, product manufacturers or even fast food chains...you were kind enough to pay, patient enough to wait so long in line and even keep comming back...and how do they repay you when something gets screwed up or someone made a mistake

I became bitter in my 20's. I became an asshole when i need to be, a hardass when i need to be and only nice once niceness is given, proved or otherwise respected from me beforehand.

So i'll help a coworker who i respect..etc. but the line is not drawn far away to a point where i'll tell them to do their own job or GTFO!...same goes for relatives..etc.

 

[Muse]

reality is you can't be kind all the time because so many people will take advantage of you. thats no shit either. Be it your neighbor, relative or a company/corportation.

Just think how many times we get screwed over by utility companies, product manufacturers or even fast food chains...you were kind enough to pay, patient enough to wait so long in line and even keep comming back...and how do they repay you when something gets screwed up or someone made a mistake

I became bitter in my 20's. I became an asshole when i need to be, a hardass when i need to be and only nice once niceness is given, proved or otherwise respected from me beforehand.

So i'll help a coworker who i respect..etc. but the line is not drawn far away to a point where i'll tell them to do their own job or GTFO!...same goes for relatives..etc.

Well, OK, a couple of quotes come to mind:

"(You've got to be) Cruel to be Kind." -Nick Lowe song

"He has observ'd the golden rule,
Till he's become the golden fool." - William Blake epigram

 

[moshquerade]

Long story short:

I went into the restroom at work;
One of the guys on our floor (not from my company) left his iPad 1 in the stall (and I knew it was his because I saw him with it earlier today);
Even though I really want an iPad, I returned it to him immediately because I knew it was the right thing to do.

Now, I kinda feel like such a sucker for doing the right thing. Why can't doing the right thing feel better (at least for me).

MotionMan

it is surprising to me that you feel bad for doing the right thing.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

You must have grown up in moral-challenging poverty to feel such self-importance over performing a trivial task that anyone with the slightest modicum of honor would have done. May you stay on the righteous path.

 

[MotionMan]

it is surprising to me that you feel bad for doing the right thing.

Me, too.

MotionMan

 

[MotionMan]

You must have grown up in moral-challenging poverty to feel such self-importance over performing a trivial task that anyone with the slightest modicum of honor would have done. May you stay on the righteous path.

I am not sure what that means. Please explain.

MotionMan