“i don’t owe anyone anything” is one of the most incredibly callous and damaging phrases to enter popular vernacular. you owe everyone kindness and consideration, always. understand the idea of a social contract. you cannot reap the benefits of human society and interaction while maintaining such a cold and thankless attitude about it. i mean you can but you’d be a bad person for it
Ok hear me out tho
What if being kind and considerate actually does nothing except waste your own energy. What if it never gets repaid so there is no reaping the benefits of human society because it’s just one sided service.
“cold and thankless” is valid in that instance because a) there’s actually nothing to be thankful for and b) being “cold” shows people they can’t fuck with you and saves your own energy for living and all those things you spent years helping other people with that they’ll never repay
That’s just my take tho
I am glad I live in a world where being considerate, AT THE MINIMUM, affirms that I’m a member in society, and I can do nice things for people even if I don’t directly receive benefits.
Sometimes you plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.