On generosity

Abstract

The article addresses the problem of how to theorize generosity. It argues that generosity is a matter of social actors orienting to standards and suggests, drawing on an analysis by Derrida, that while he too sees the necessity of standards, for him this leads to certain dilemmas as to how actors can actually accomplish generosity. How can actors display the fulsomeness generosity requires while still respecting standards or limits? An attempt is made to resolve this problem by proposing, in line with certain work by Blum and McHugh, and by Taylor, a distinction between merely calculating generosity and reflecting on it. Finally, the communal value of the version of generosity that the article develops is alluded to with the help of a Levinas-inspired version of self-other relations.

Civility and mobility: Drivers (and passengers) appreciating the actions of other drivers

“…To pass by without acknowledgment of the other avoids recognising their sacrifice of the other's progression. It is in this sense that thanking and related forms of acknowledgement of minor generosity are in the territories of civility (and incivility) on the road or indeed generosity (Raffel, 2001). While examining the particulars that can account for the presence or absence of thanking in these particular encounter, from the larger corpus and my ethnographic experience of UK driving practices, the absence of thanking between drivers where one party has ceded their right of way is common, though not without complaint.…”

“…The height appears to be adjusted to sit in line with the driver's chin -thereby neatly framing her entire face for approaching vehicles. The manipulation of the car window makes the driver's face not simply more visible, it is, like having sunglasses on and then being able to take them off, forming a resource for doing contrasts hiding a face or revealing a face (Raffel, 2001). By moving the glass of the window out of the way, the driver appears more visible and also perhaps vulnerable, by comparison with the protected or hidden face behind the glass.…”

“…Civility is itself lodged in not just the establishment of which party has that right but in the potential to register, and actual waiving of, such a claim. Civility lies in the acknowledgement of the particular needs of differentiated others, where those others may require help or simply benefit from one's minor generosity (McIlvenny, this issue;Raffel, 2001). Thankings and other appreciations mark the acknowledgment by the driver or passenger of a vehicle being allowed, offered or otherwise getting to proceed on their way where the other party's rights of way are not clearly subordinate to theirs.…”

Buddhist Generosity: Its Conceptual Model and Empirical Tests

“…Generosity, as contrast to altruism, was used to describe giving that is motivated partly by self-interest, i.e., public giving that is intended as an expression of personal and social identity (Wright, 2001). As it is difficult to theorize about generosity (Raffel, 2001), researchers have operationally defined generosity in a variety of ways. Children defined generosity as dividing up money equally among themselves, buying something for the class or for the school, or giving money to poor children (Zarbatany, Hartmann, & Gelfand, 1985).…”

Arguing for a Generous Identity

“…For example, Hillman () uses the term “generous identity,” but he does not offer the reader a definition of what it means. In addition, Raffel () offers a framework of how to theorize generosity without discussing ways in which researchers can globally operationalize and measure it. To address this need in the prosocial literature, this article argues for the existence of a generous identity, defines the generous identity construct, and suggests concrete ways to measure it in tandem with related prosocial constructs.…”