Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> Free contribution is rewarding as a means of helping.

> Well-paid contribution is rewarding for the $$$.

This is crucial. Changing incentives changes the social contract and relationship and does that irrevocably.

I recommend Dan Ariely’s book Amazing Decisions on this topic.

Example: You don’t pay for the thanksgiving turkey dinner at your inlaws’ and if you did that’s be rude no matter the amount.

If you give your neighbor some fruit from the tree in your yard that’s one kind of relationship. If next year you try to sell it that’s a very different one. Transitioning from one to the other is significant.

Lastly, financial incentives kill generosity. The giver now starts to worry if they’re providing too high of a value.



A girlfriend's mother once asked to pay me after fixing her computer.

I said a bottle of wine will be fine. (I'd just turned 18)

She said no I insist.

I said well my rate is £100 an hour and it took three hours.

She chose to give me a bottle of wine.


That happens all the time. What's weird is that they look at me like I'm trying to rip them off.

I have already told you I am not going to charge you. I am just stating my rate if you were to pay for it.


I was going to write something inappropriate .. then I noticed "girlfriend's mother".


Is 18 the drinking age in this story?


Given the currency (£), I suspect so.


A UK colleague was devastated when he came to Texas for a project; luckily he turned 21 a few weeks later...!


I was so surprised and annoyed that they tried to ask for my ID almost everywhere in the US. I’m 33, I don’t look anywhere near a student any more.

At the time I was allowed to drink from 16 in my home country.


3 hours work is nowhere near enough repayment for being girlfriend's mom.


Haha, if only we were all so suave at 18.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: