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Which do you think is 'more valuable' if it can be thought of that way? Do you prefer to repay someone for their kindness, or do you like to pay it forward?

Personally, I thank someone, and repay in any way possible, but always try to pay it forward.

I like to pay it back. Paying it forward is more complicated.

BTW there was a great movie called Pay it forward starring Joel Osment. It is the story of a boy who changed the world around him by paying favors forward.

Pay it back, yeah, I'd rather return a favour to someone who had done good by me.

I make it a point to help those who help me. I also try to spread a little goodwill everywhere I go. I wouldn't call it paying it forward, because it's not really a payment. It's an investment. It's always good to have people think you're altruistic, but one needs to be careful not to be walked all over. For this reason I'm pretty tight with loaning my cash unless I can trust the party. I also charge interest. That way, they know they can rely on me, but I'm not a financial aid grant to be collected whenever they feel like it.

Pay it back. The only reason to pay it forward is if you want something from the person you're "paying it" to.

I just don't think of kindness like that.

I don't expect return from favours, and I don't return favours. My actions are determined by what I think is the best course of action at the time, for all involved.

I don't do things for poeple I owe stuff to. I do things for people i like.

I would rather give kindness to any action, so I suppose the pay it forward.

I feel how and what I do of my actions to people is how I would be treated rather then at some point repay for something that is a natural extension of my actions.

I do both.

...I thought the point of paying it forward was just an act of kindness without expecting anything in return?

I do both. It's just a matter of treating others as you want to be treated.

I'd prefer both to, though it's more important to be square with people. I dont mind if people I do favors for pay it forward, but it itches like fire ants if I owe someone something and aren't square with them.

i'm willing to do either one, depending on how well i like the person in question. If it's a good friend i'll likely help 'em out without expecting payback, otherwise i'll probably put some type of conditions on it if they're just a casual acquaintance. Of course this entirely depends on the type of help/loan i'm doing as well.

Anyone I know well will get paid forward without expectation for the most part, but paying back is also a good habit...

verilon wrote:...I thought the point of paying it forward was just an act of kindness without expecting anything in return?

You're right; it is. The idea is that you pay it forward to them with the hope that they will do the same to someone else, not back to you. You only get the satisfaction of doing a random act of kindness, which is a pretty damn good feeling.

And my answer is both.

I don't do kindness. I pay malice, hatred, bitterness, and spite both backwards and forwards, though.