Sometimes I Overthink Things...
I just walked by the coffee table out by the main office. This morning when I came in there were two partial cakes there - one yellow and one chocolate. In passing it now (at 2:00), there's half a piece of yellow and one piece of chocolate here.
I know what's going to happen. That piece of chocolate cake is going to get carved up into tiny pieces and at the end of the day there'll be a sliver, maybe an eighth of the piece left.
Nobody wants to take the last piece of cake.
That happens all the time at the coffee table. I saw a quarter of a bagel there the other day. What the heck? Who eats a quarter of a bagel? (or in my mind - who eats only ONE bagel, but that's an issue for another post...).
But, you know - I've shunned the last piece many times - to be considerate of someone else who might want it - the last piece of pizza, the last piece of freshly baked bread, the last bit a lasagne (but if it's still there when you go to bed, it won't be there when you get up, I can almost guarantee it...).
Do we feel selfish taking the last piece? Are we less selfish taking the half of the last piece?
For the record, I don't believe taking the last piece is selfish - unless, maybe, you've had the first and all the middle pieces, too...
So what? Maybe its just human nature - maybe we really are more magnanimous than I (in my admittedly sometimes cynical heart) give us credit for. I don't know.
Maybe it's just a half a piece of cake, Bill...
I know what's going to happen. That piece of chocolate cake is going to get carved up into tiny pieces and at the end of the day there'll be a sliver, maybe an eighth of the piece left.
Nobody wants to take the last piece of cake.
That happens all the time at the coffee table. I saw a quarter of a bagel there the other day. What the heck? Who eats a quarter of a bagel? (or in my mind - who eats only ONE bagel, but that's an issue for another post...).
But, you know - I've shunned the last piece many times - to be considerate of someone else who might want it - the last piece of pizza, the last piece of freshly baked bread, the last bit a lasagne (but if it's still there when you go to bed, it won't be there when you get up, I can almost guarantee it...).
Do we feel selfish taking the last piece? Are we less selfish taking the half of the last piece?
For the record, I don't believe taking the last piece is selfish - unless, maybe, you've had the first and all the middle pieces, too...
So what? Maybe its just human nature - maybe we really are more magnanimous than I (in my admittedly sometimes cynical heart) give us credit for. I don't know.
Maybe it's just a half a piece of cake, Bill...
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