Let’s say you’re giving away your expensive road bike to a friend.
You could just say, ‘do with this bike whatever you like’. You could also impose certain conditions, ‘I’ll give you this bike if you promise to make the most of it – to ride it regularly and maintain it at least as well as I do.’ Or you could attach several strings with the act – that this friend owes you a favour in the future, and that they sing praises of your generosity.
The rule of thumb here is simple – the more terms and conditions your act involves, the less generous it becomes.
Generosity is the act of giving something away without expecting something in return. The higher the expectation, the more compromised the generosity.
Observations 