"Well then I'm afraid I can't help you. I mean you're getting paid, and I'm getting nothing."

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This is one of the most interesting comments I have read on ILX lately. It's got me thinking about ethics and morality, and when we help others and when we do not. What do you reckon... if someone is doing something for profit, should we only help them if we are being cut in on the action? Alternatively, is being helpful its own reward, or is it its own reward... for saps?

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:30 (twenty years ago)

I might well be accidentally misrepresenting the intent of the comment. This is life.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:31 (twenty years ago)

Oh I was just fucking with the dude. For the record, it's an interesting question anyway.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:34 (twenty years ago)

A totally interesting question!

I think it's directly proportional with how well you feel you know the person asking. For example, in the situation that sparked the comment in question, to my knowledge I've never met the person doing the asking but I've met his brother (whom I've been corresponding with online about music for close to 10 years) and he's been around here pretty much since the board's inception, so it really felt like helping out a buddy. Conversely, an anoymous person asking for help on their homework or a paid enterprise is going to raise my hackles unless I get cited or compensated; I don't know you and I don't have a vested interest in your success, so um please give me a little some-some to get me intersted in your success, okay?

― Dan (Mercenary Man) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:51 (twenty years ago)

Background please?

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:52 (twenty years ago)

Aye I'm like Dan's second example when it is work related - a sales guy getting twice my base plus his commission asking ME to just "tidy up the loose ends" he should have done himself earns a bit fat "get stuffed" from me, unless he wants to pass that comission to me.

xpost yeah whats the context of the orig quote?

― Trayce (trayce), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:54 (twenty years ago)

I need some phrases translated into German.

― Dan (And So On) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:54 (twenty years ago)

It also depends on the relative amount of trouble it takes to help someone. If someone asks me to translate a phrase or two of relative simplicity to me, I won't think twice about doing it. If it's longer or if it requires more thought, I might not.

― M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 12 January 2006 23:58 (twenty years ago)

Oh lordy.

From the point of view of the guy doing the asking, I didn't feel put out particularly that Ally decided not to help out, but I was glad that somebody did. It was essentially a lazy form of research on my part. If everybody on every board had taken that line, I'd have gone to the pub, the library, the university etc. and asked there, but then the momentum would most likely have been lost.

That said, I had more respect for Ally when I thought that his motive for not helping was "Hey baby, where's my check?" That seemed pretty reasonable. Now I find out that the motive was "I was just fucking with the dude", I think Ally is a motherfucking prick. Where's your percentage in fucking with any dude? If you've got nothing to say, say nothing.

― Vic Fluro (Vic Fluro), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:07 (twenty years ago)

foxache

― jim p. irrelevant (electricsound), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:09 (twenty years ago)

Wait, Ally's a bloke?

If you've got nothing to say, say nothing.

Goodbye, ILX, it was fun while it lasted :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:12 (twenty years ago)

Vic, I think the sentiment was genuine but the manner of expression was somewhat tongue-in-chek.

― Dan (Although Ally Can Speak For Herself) Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:14 (twenty years ago)

I assumed the blokishness because of the blokish tone. That was a big wrong on my part. Sorry about that.

Dan - the 'fucking with the dude' sentiment or the 'what's in it for me' sentiment? I've got a slight problem with the 'fucking' sentiment because that just seems very wrong to me. The 'in it for me' sentiment - yeah, I'll take any amount of tongue-in-cheek on that, and sorry if I missed the joke.

― Vic Fluro (Vic Fluro), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:20 (twenty years ago)

The "what's in it for me?" sentiment.

― Dan (Peace And Harmony) Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:22 (twenty years ago)

In that case, I'm sorry if I took that the wrong way. Like I said, if that's the reasoning, I can't argue with that.

― Vic Fluro (Vic Fluro), Friday, 13 January 2006 00:25 (twenty years ago)

If you've got nothing to say, say nothing.

Goodbye, ILX, it was fun while it lasted :)

ailsa, i *heart* you.

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 13 January 2006 03:44 (twenty years ago)

um, you may not want me to but whatever, i do anyway.

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 13 January 2006 03:45 (twenty years ago)

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