Sharing

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Sharing is good. Especially in this point in time as there are more and more people who want fewer possessions ~ whether that comes from the desire to reduce our ‘carbon footprint’ or from economic reasons.
If this is all there is to it, then in all likelihood vastly greater numbers of people were already sharing their possessions, their assets, and their resources. So just the fact that this is not happening (yet) tells me there is more to it than just this sense that sharing is good.

The sharing of possessions, assets and resources comes with shared responsibilities.

These responsibilities are different for the person who actually has the thing (let’s say a car), asset (for instance being a good listener, or the ability to give valuable advice), or resource (like the education or experience that enables you to give such worthy advice) ~ than for the person benefitting from sharing in this wealth.

Sharing can get out of hand where one person shares not just what they own, but also their energy and who they are with the world without ever receiving anything in return. In essence giving themselves away. On the other end, sharing can get out of hand when a person takes what is shared for granted and just takes and takes and takes... And becomes a ‘mooch’.

For the person who is wiling to share, the responsibility is to realize that sharing what they have is different from giving it away... And this implies that there still are boundaries that are set. You can share one thing with another person, but that doesn’t give the other person ‘the right’ to share in everything you have. So you can be totally okay with another person using your car every now and then ~ however that doesn’t mean that you are okay with them coming into your house and eating out of your fridge...

For the person on the other end, benefitting from being able to use a car they don’t own, the responsibility is to for instance share in the cost of the maintenance of that car. Not because you are asked to do so, but because it is a common-sensical thing that comes with your end of the bargain.

This is obvious when it is about sharing a car, but what happens when you are sharing in an asset or resource of someone who needs that asset or resource to make a living ~ to be able to pay the bills? All of a sudden boundaries tend to become vague ~ and with that questions arise. Like, will the other person be offended if I don’t take them up on their offer to share in their knowledge? Or what do I have I can share with them in return? What will be the responsibility I am sharing here?

Sharing is good. When also the responsibilities are shared.
Sharing is a two way street that is traversed with respect.
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