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Comment by gavanwoolery | Hacker News Reader

People have told me all manner of things...they seem a bit too ready to give me advice, as if I were completely naive. I've done my fair share of stupid things, and I willingly listen to advice from others, but I do not like it when people critique me being myself. The most common criticism I get is that I am too kind for my own good. What is the world coming to when being kind is a bad thing, as if I should be expected to crawl over everyone just to rise one step higher? It does not seem to occur to anybody that I do kind things willingly, not because others expect me to. We were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

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This is so true! I've been told the very same thing. Being kind, in some people's minds, is a flaw in one's self. I feel, very strongly, that if every person in this world looked out for all of our best interests, we would be much happier. I truly don't understand how it's possible for someone to not offer help or assistance if it's in their power to do so. Sometimes, humanity in people complete astounds me.

they seem a bit too ready to give me advice, as if I were completely naive.

I find myself guilty of this often, more so because I'm younger than most people I give advice to. Interestingly enough, the responses I receive always put me in a positive light and people tell me I act much older than I am.

Perhaps it's my tone or the way that I present an idea but people seem receptive.

I too am definitely "guilty" of giving out more advice than I probably should. However, some advice is good-natured (even if critical), whereas other advice is sometimes too much a projection of personal beliefs or unhelpful (i.e "That idea will probably fail"). I have definitely "grown up" a bit in terms of taking advice though - I used to think I was right about everything (even if outwardly humble). It is definitely not easy to put yourself in the mindset of another person.

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