Just musing and wonderiing.....

It doesn’t really bother me if people ‘do good’ with great fanfare or with none. So long as people/animals/the planet were helped in some way.
I used to volunteer for things and I did it because it made me feel good about myself.

What a nice idea Mummer.

I do on occasion pass at tenner or twenty to struggling families I see in shops/market with a "excuse me you've dropped this" ! Tee hee...... Suprise ensues and I exit a speedy stage left.......

I suspect those who are advocating that we should all "open our doors (literally) to the homeless give up all our spare time to tending to those at the bottom of the social scale( aka anyone who asks) etc etc....bit wait a minute, THEY don't ever appear to be in any hurry to throw their £million doors open do they? I think that it's the idea that there's a' ruling class' when it comes to who should bear the brunt of the giving! Well off types always bang on about how much they've done usually in a patronising manner too. My cousin dropped out of his well heeled and very comfortable life back in the 70s and literally disappeared off the map! An only child my uncle and aunt were grief stricken for years with worry- until a random friend said they'd seen him in London 10 years on- working with the salvation army street pastors and soup van!! He had sworn our friend to secrecy as to where he was exactly but allowed him to say he's alive and well. Now THATS what I call a "do gooder"!! Dedicated and hardworking seeking no gongs.

I read recently that voluntary work is being 'prescribed' in some areas as it has been found to have such a positive effect on volunteers. Helping others can be a way of making ourselves feel better in life. Win win.

Rosina

My Father, who was poor, did many small kindnesses during his life; he would mend and repair things for people, heel shoes, fix toys for children, clean windscreens early and quietly on frosty mornings - there were so many at his funeral who had liked and appreciated him, a small quiet man. I have wondered just what he might have done had he been rich.

A friend's husband died a couple of weeks ago. I knew him as a quiet pleasant man. It was only when I read the messages of sympathy online that I realised the many local groups he had lent support to.

To NanO, Is the book you mention: “Beware of Pity” by Stefan Zweig? I couldn’t find the title under Josef Roth.

My Father, who was poor, did many small kindnesses during his life; he would mend and repair things for people, heel shoes, fix toys for children, clean windscreens early and quietly on frosty mornings - there were so many at his funeral who had liked and appreciated him, a small quiet man. I have wondered just what he might have done had he been rich.

I think we should all do good in these difficult times.

I live within a small community with a lot of do gooders. They are young and behind most of the do good actions is a subtle way for them to get some business. Eg lst December a cul-de-sac organised a Christmas lights switch on (I know totally illegal with lights strung across from lamp posts and onto house roofs). The organiser supplied some Christmas fare treats £2 half of which was going to charity. Just happens he runs a bakery, catering business and had some of the goodies for sale or to order. This type of thing goes on all the time. Yes, a lit of people do genuinely do good but there are a lot who are just out for the praise and prestige.

Doing good quietly is a great thing. Virtue signalling is the opposite as well as interfering.

I remember reading, after his death, that George Michael had done so much for charity. He'd done it quietly and it didn't become public knowledge until much later. He was a troubled soul, but had a good heart and was very talented.

My mum helped families in our village who had difficulties paying their rent.
She wasn't rich but had come into some money and she shared this with
families in trouble.
As children we knew nothing about this and only found out when my brother was told by an adult child of one of the families

I am always put to shame when I read my local newspaper. So many people are doing wonderful things in our area - and of course it's the same everywhere. Most people don't shout about it. Only today I've felt I must do SOMETHING... there are so good causes out there.

It annoys me when 'do-gooder' is used as a term of abuse. We should all be trying to do good. After all, what's the opposite, 'do-evil'?

This brings to mind the Bible story of the widow's mite. Her tiny offering, was given with humility, great sacrifice, and possibly some embarrassment for the small amount. The rich man's large donation, given with much public display, was considered unimportant in comparison.
It's not what you do for charity, but how you do it, that could get you the do-gooder label.

Doing good is fine. I guess the 'derogatory' meaning is because some who try to 'do good' are more interested in being seen as virtuous than actually helping. - Or they try to do good but don't understand what's needed etc. All we can do is our best.

There is a famous novel called Beware of Pity by Josef Roth who was a best selling novelist before the 2nd World War. He was Austro-Hungarian Hungarian Jewish and was no platform's by the Nazis ,his books were best sellers in translation around the world..its a brilliant novel on misplaced attempts at empathy and how it back fires..I like the post about doing good by stealth, practical stuff, the coal, the coat, etc

Agree with Witzend - do-gooders and those who do good are not the same.

Doing good takes on many forms, most who do good things do them quietly without recognition. People get annoyed with the ones who need to be seen doing acts of goodness/kindness and need publicity.

My late granny was a 'do gooder' and helped people anonymously.
She visited my mum one cold day and there was no fire or coal. Dad, her son, was a gambler so no money. The next day a coal lorry turned up with a ton of coal. Also a big box addressed to my mum with a beautiful red wool coat from a posh shop in town. Both anonymously. Also she regularly visited a young widow with 2 young children for a cup of tea and chat. When I went with her once she was washing up and I saw her put a handful of pound notes in between the tea towels in the drawer. I was told to say nothing. Everyone thought she was really poor but she was very wealthy.

I think do goodets often applies to people who meddle in causes and situations that they don't really understand fully, and often end up doing more harm than good.
Oe people who advocate loudly for one set of rights regardless of how it tramples over other rights.

Often the two are connected.

annodomini

I was looking for the quote: "Do good by stealth", thinking it was biblical, but tracked it down (thank you, Internet) to Alexander Pope's Essay on Man and the full line is : “Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.” In other words, be embarrassed if you get a reputation for 'doing good'. It's a good 60 years since I studied that poem, but the line - or half of it - had stayed with me.

I was trying to remember enough of that line to search for it, anno, so thank you. Off to read some Pope ?

There is nothing wrong with caring, or doing good; most people do and do it discreetly. It is those who constantly advertise what they do and/or constantly advise others as to how they should feel and think who arouse ire.

GagaJo

That American phrase, 'Bleeding heart liberals' springs to mind. What is wrong with caring? We all should care.

Yes that American phrase, to me, is the equivalent of 'do-gooders'.