The critical element of “paying forward” is when we offer Generativity Three by honoring another person in order to establish or preserve a social bond. We expect in the future to be similarly honored. At the very least, we feel good about doing what is appropriate about a social exchange. Generativity of all kinds is founded in social exchange. We pay babysitters and day care centers to take care of our children; this is market exchange. We ask grandparents to take care of our children while we are going out for the evening; they receive no money, just a hug, kiss, and word of gratitude. This is Generativity One social exchange. Virtually all forms of Generativity One, Two and Three are founded on social rather than market exchange. And some of these generative acts are also founded on a spiritual foundation. We turn in the next essay to one of these spiritual acts: consecration.
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References
Anderson, Walter Truett (1995) The Truth about the Truth. New York: Tarcher.
Bellah, Robert and others (1985) Habits of the Heart. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Huizinga, Johan (1968) Homo Ludens. Boston: Beacon Press.
Ruesch, Jurgen and Weldon Kees (1969) Nonverbal Communication. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Sarason, Seymour (1972) The Creation of Settings and the Future Societies. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
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