Seneca the Younger Quotes

The trouble is, most people are not so generous. Everybody wants love for themselves. I hear this all the time from the women I work with. I hear them say, "I want, I want." I never hear them saying what they want to give.

Take gifts with a sigh: most men give to be paid.

Those who give hoping to be rewarded with honor are not giving, they are bargaining.

Men do not value a good deed unless it brings a reward.

I don't like people who are just takers.

Be very careful. Giving because we think we will get something back will not work. You must be 100 percent willing to give and never experience any return, or it will not work.

You cannot ensure the gratitude of others for a favour conferred upon them in the way which is most agreeable to yourself.

We seldom find people ungrateful so long as it is thought we can serve them.

You can't beg from people what they're not willing to give you.

It's joyful to give. But for people who want to take advantage of you, you're kind of an easy mark.

Do unto others, then run.

My father said there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better.

I was nice to the people in the Philippines for the two and a half years I was there, because I knew eventually I'd have to kiss up to them so my grandchildren could have toys.

Philanthropy can have a very strong selfish component.

Conscious people fully know who is serving them selflessly and who is trying to create anarchy.

What are you doing here? (Artemis) I wanted to thank you for what you did tonight, but as I considered that, it dawned on me that you have never once in eleven thousand years done anything for me for free. The sheer fear factor of that realization alone has made me come seeking you. So what gives? (Acheron)

Generosity with strings is not generosity: it is a deal.

Giving is the insured way of getting.

You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing.

No matter how much you give a homeless person for tea... you never get that tea.

He that gives me small gifts would have me live.

Ask nothing; want nothing in return. Give what you have to give; it will come back to you, but do not think of that now.

This is the manner of noble souls: they do not want to have anything for nothing; least of all, life. Whoever is of the mob wants to live for nothing; we others, however, to whom life gave itself, we always think about what we might best give in return... One should not wish to enjoy where one does not give joy.

Give plenty of what is given to you, And listen to pity's call. Don't think the little you give is great, And the much you get is small.

I think if you've been given something in life you have a moral duty to give things back.