These thoughts advance the conversation and our understanding of helpfulness and service. But the criteria for helpfulness cannot be solely the response of the helpee. Consider the numerous situations where "you'll thank me later". David Ryan seems to recognize this in the reference to children or dementia sufferers. But the same idea applies to all of us in one area or another in which we have our own blind spots and incompetencies. Thus, as David suggests, 'helpfulness' is much more complicated than it at first appears.
On Aug 8, 2013 Wayne Iba wrote :
These thoughts advance the conversation and our understanding of helpfulness and service. But the criteria for helpfulness cannot be solely the response of the helpee. Consider the numerous situations where "you'll thank me later". David Ryan seems to recognize this in the reference to children or dementia sufferers. But the same idea applies to all of us in one area or another in which we have our own blind spots and incompetencies. Thus, as David suggests, 'helpfulness' is much more complicated than it at first appears.