This is known as Braggart's Dilemma on the Social Rewards and Penalties of Advertising Prosocial Behavior
"People often brag about, or advertise, their good deeds to others. Seven studies investigate how bragging about prosocial behavior affects perceived generosity. The authors propose that bragging conveys information about an actor's good deeds, leading to an attribution of generosity.
However, bragging also signals a selfish motivation (a desire for credit) that undermines the attribution of generosity. Thus, bragging has a positive effect when prosocial behavior is unknown because it informs others that an actor has behaved generously.
However, bragging does not help—and often hurts—when prosocial behavior is already known, because it signals a selfish motive.
In addition, the authors demonstrate that conspicuous cause marketing products have effects akin to bragging by signaling an impure motive for doing good deeds. Finally, the authors argue that bragging about prosocial behavior is unique because it undermines the precise information that the braggart is trying to convey (generosity). In contrast, bragging about personal achievements does not affect perceptions of the focal trait conveyed in the brag. These findings underscore the strategic considerations inherent in signaling altruism."
What do you think about this dilemma?
1- How do you judge those who boasts?
2- Do you boast yourself?
3- What do you boast about?
4- In what contexts do you boast more (in the family, with friends, at work, with strangers etc. ) ?
5- What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
http://journals.ama.org/doi/abs/10.1509/jmr.14.0002
1. One boasts more in friends as one wants to lead
2. Next boasts at work as one wants to show one's competence
3. Next boasts in family to show how one is important
4. Next boasts with strangers as one wants to show one's presence
- We can judge boasting by one's repeated behaviour
- I do boast also, but degree differs, depends on person to person
- I boast also, if I do, about my research which is my strong area also
- Decency can be maintained only by concealing less and boasts positive points only
Thanks, ....!
It may be culture dependent.
In Australia for instance, it is not done at all to brag, and people who are seen as braggarts are widely socially shunned. In the US on the other hand, you are expected to 'blow your own horn', and if you don't, it is then assumed that you don't have much to be proud of.
Generally speaking, I'm sure that acts speak much louder than words, and I tend to agree that there's something rather vulgar about bragging, but I understand that culture might not leave much of a choice in certain environments.
You may read the recent paper by Jonathan Z. Berman, Emma E. Levine, Alixandra Barasch, and Deborah A. Small titled "The Braggart's Dilemma: On the Social Rewards and Penalties of Advertising Prosocial Behavior", Journal of Marketing Research: February 2015, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 90-104.
Abstract of this work:
"People often brag about, or advertise, their good deeds to others. Seven studies investigate how bragging about prosocial behavior affects perceived generosity. The authors propose that bragging conveys information about an actor's good deeds, leading to an attribution of generosity. However, bragging also signals a selfish motivation (a desire for credit) that undermines the attribution of generosity. Thus, bragging has a positive effect when prosocial behavior is unknown because it informs others that an actor has behaved generously. However, bragging does not help—and often hurts—when prosocial behavior is already known, because it signals a selfish motive. In addition, the authors demonstrate that conspicuous cause marketing products have effects akin to bragging by signaling an impure motive for doing good deeds. Finally, the authors argue that bragging about prosocial behavior is unique because it undermines the precise information that the braggart is trying to convey (generosity). In contrast, bragging about personal achievements does not affect perceptions of the focal trait conveyed in the brag. These findings underscore the strategic considerations inherent in signaling altruism."
http://journals.ama.org/doi/abs/10.1509/jmr.14.0002
1. One boasts more in friends as one wants to lead
2. Next boasts at work as one wants to show one's competence
3. Next boasts in family to show how one is important
4. Next boasts with strangers as one wants to show one's presence
- We can judge boasting by one's repeated behaviour
- I do boast also, but degree differs, depends on person to person
- I boast also, if I do, about my research which is my strong area also
- Decency can be maintained only by concealing less and boasts positive points only
Thanks, ....!
Our Curricula Vitae (CV) is a prime example of putting us in good light, especially in the section of "highlights of qualifications." On a positive note, it emphasizes "what I could do for you and your organization if I am in the organization."
This is not the same as saying "what I can do to your organization"---which may have a negative connotation. The bragging of what I can do to you--worked for over 40 years in the cold war between the superpowers until both sides realized that both are just boasting.
Dear Sundaranpandian,
I myself posted both the link and the Abstract of the paper inside my question.
Best regards
Dear Ting - Thanks - I just realized .. sorry!
I shall give my views on this interesting topic later today!
I shall share this query with my eminent friends in RG also (Prof. Nageswara Rao, Prof. Krishnan Umachandran, Prof. Debi, etc) Let us read their views also!
Bragging is not considered polite in most social circles in the UK but it still goes on of course. It is difficult to operate in a system that encourages achievement and remain modest. In academia there is virtually an imperative to boast especially since the universities got the bizarre idea into their corporate heads that they are 'businesses'.
The 'league table' mentality has resulted in an exponential increase in academic bragging and most of it is both unwarranted and unmeritorious. In some case it is downright untrue!
I worked under an American Professor for my doctorate and later as a research collaborator with him for some years, and I cannot call him "modest".
As Prof. Barry Turner pointed out wisely, "It is difficult to operate in a system that encourages achievement and remain modest". Well said..!
Dear Thing Fa
No one is master of generosity as the vital breath is in us the blessing of a Creator while allowing free conscience to the belief of every person.
I think the generosity to me is an act that can only come from human unb because he has a heart like all animal species but the only difference that it has the right. It is the latter which is decisive in the choice of his action and whatever the belief. Moreover generosity is a autenthique act of recognizing the next man. As for me I do not have to boast of an act of generosity. The credit goes to the one who created me and those who have procreated and educated me on the right path to love our neighbor and provide the support when needed.
Best regards
FADEL
Bragging is important to initiate the pro social perception of generosity. It stimulates one and others towards the direction. Albeit only bragging and no deed may lead to confusion and finally the bragging become aimless and spoil the Braggart aim in long term. So Braggart should be smart enough to do the bragging more at the initial stage and gradually reduce the bragging with increase in prosocial temperament.
Thanks Ting to raise this interesting topic to discuss
In animals studies, people that study sexual selection use the word 'advertising', e.g. exposed in displays, song...... Evolutionary biologists also make a distinction between honest advertisement versus cheating during the advertisement process. In nature, advertisers are tested!
Self interest, customer value, and psychology are integrated via a systems perspective. Using a perspective based on evolutionary psychology and cultural anthropology, social responsibility, a pro-social predisposition, and an ethical foundation are shown to complement the economics of self interest in the creation of a stable social order.
https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-2778399381/system-optimization-human-nature-customer-value
Dear Marg and all, I don't speak a lot because I have lots of work to do at my job and at home. BUT I SPEAK THE TRUTH, ABOUT OTHERS AND MYSELF. And I don't ask myself if I brag or not. All I do is only because I'm given the life and the abilities by GOD. GLORY BELONGS TO GOD, NOT TO US, HUMANS.
Dear @Marg, thanks for sharing this question. My friends and acquaintances can evaluate and appreciate my generosity, if any, boasting can only harm the perception of generosity. Although, there are people who do it, boast out themselves for different things. This is correlated with the local subculture! Self-boasting is matter of a bad taste!
Personally I don't like to read, hear, watch anything that has a small part of bragging inside it, I just switch off the relevant media...
Excerpts from the research paper - "The Braggart’s Dilemma" by
JONATHAN Z. BERMAN, EMMA E. LEVINE, ALIXANDRA BARASCH,
and DEBORAH A. SMALL* (see link)
"Is bragging a good strategy to enhance one’s reputation as a generous person? Across seven studies involving donations of time and money and utilizing different forms of bragging (posting on Facebook, wearing a button, conversing at a dinner party, and purchasing conspicuous products), we document the unique ways in which bragging about one’s prosocial behavior affects perceptions of altruism. People who tell others about their good deeds inform others that they have behaved prosocially but also are perceived as less intrinsically motivated to help others. Thus, bragging can either boost or diminish the perception that a person is generous, depending on whether the brag provides new information about an actor’s tendency to help others. Bragging helps when others do not know that an actor does good deeds. However, bragging does not help—and can often hurt—when others are already aware that an actor does good deeds.
We further demonstrate that bragging about prosocial behavior is special because it directly undermines the information that the person is trying to convey. In this sense, the studies here depart from research examining whether selfpromotion is harmful in general (Godfrey, Jones, and Lord 1986; Holtgraves and Srull 1989). Rather, the present research addresses when a braggart succeeds or fails at conveying a specific trait; it shows that bragging about prosocial behavior undermines perceptions of generosity, but bragging about personal activities does not affect perceptions of traits reflecting those activities. Note that there may be other situations in which bragging undermines the focal trait conveyed by a brag. For example, a person who brags about his modesty is likely to be considered less modest as a result because bragging is directly antithetical to modesty. There may also be more general effects that result from bragging. For example, in some contexts, bragging may broadly signal poor social skills or a lack of awareness about social norms.
The hypotheses presented here also speak to how people will perceive those who repeatedly brag about their good deeds. It is likely that a person who tells others of his good deeds may be viewed favorably at first, when bragging still provides novel information. However, as the person continues to brag, the information about his generosity will become less novel, and others may become particularly suspicious of his motives. As a result, even when new good deeds are unknown to others, those who brag repeatedly may damage their reputation in the long run.
Further research can identify ways in which people are able to communicate prosocial behavior without inciting suspicion about their motives. For example, people may create an appropriate context to discuss good deeds by steering a conversation in a direction that makes it appropriate to discuss prosocial behavior (Tal-Or 2010). Some people may also strategically tell a select small group of people about their good deeds to let others brag on their behalf (Jones and Wortman 1973; Pfeffer et al. 2006). "
http://journals.ama.org/doi/abs/10.1509/jmr.14.0002
I think after reading all this bragging or not bragging is not spontaneous anymore? Too calculated?
I prefer spontaneous behavior. If someone likes to brag, go ahead. No problem!
Dear Surnarapandian,
It would be better to make a summary of the points that you feel enlightening the specific questions I asked at the beginning.
I would be pleased to know YOUR OPINION about:
What do you think about this dilemma?
1- How do you judge those who boasts?
2- Do you boast yourself?
3- What do you boast about?
4- In what contexts do you boast more (in the family, with friends, at work, with strangers etc. ) ?
5- What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
Thank you again for the supplementary effort I ask you.
Marg
Dear Ting:
For your survey, I have the following direct reply to your questions.
What do you think about this (Braggart) dilemma?
1- How do you judge those who boasts?
Though we are all judgmental in our life, I don't judge too quickly unless the situation so demands. As I studied & also worked in USA, I know American culture. It is common there for people to proudly proclaim their achievements. "I have done it!", "I have done it", this is how kids in USA normally exclaim when they achieve something. At the same time, as I have been brought up in India, modesty is considered a big virtue, and from big actors, big sportsmen to big academics in India, all tend to play down their achievements. "We have a long way to go" this is the Indian way of responding to praises and accolades. My (Late) PhD guide in USA was not modest in any way. Underplaying his achievements was not his style - he was very clear about he had contributed to his field and he would expect to be acknowledged for what he had done. "This is what I have done in Control Engineering". He will clearly spell out his achievements. If he does not project his work in the right way, who would do so? This is how I perceived his evaluation or comments about his own work. (In my view, this is not boasting and I respect him for the same). If anyone still remembers the question, I would judge the person by context and not immediately by his / her words. If a person has really done something great to society and if he or she boasts about it, I will judge his or her words by the value of his or her works.
Generally, self-boasting is considered negative in India. We are advised not to do it.
2- Do you boast yourself?
As I wrote in (1), I am not advised not to boast about myself.
However, in a keynote address or plenary address, it is important for me to point out the highlights of my recent work. I shall be careful in keeping things in an objective way and not to blow my own trumpet. It is a very thin line and I shall be very careful not to boast myself. Generally we all need to be very careful when we project ourselves in Conferences or big events. We may be perceived in a negative way if we boast our achievements. I have seen some people boasting in Conferences, but I avoid it.
3- What do you boast about?
See my detailed answer in (1) and (2).
4- In what contexts do you boast more (in the family, with friends, at work, with strangers etc. ) ?
No boasting at all with family, friends or work or strangers. In India, boasting is considered very negative. We avoid it as much as possible.
5- What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
Marketing is not my area and I don't watch much TV - so I have no idea how products are marketed in the media. Surveys may be taken from those who watch media!
I know people that boast a lot. No problem for me! If people are proud of what they are doing, why should this be discouraged?
Dear: Marg
I suggest that the time and evidence can increase the perception of generousity
Dear Marcel, I think it's fine for each of us to be happy and proud of what we do. But in my culture, we dislike bragging. There is some difference, bragging is all about SELF, but we live in SOCIETY and we should be concerned about OTHERS. BRAGGING ABOUT SELF PUTS OTHERS DOWN.
One of the earliest proverbs a child here will learn is: 'Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.'
Dear Tang,
Very good questions with excellent preludes. In any business, profit is expected in order people continue to do it. If one is "generous" for the sake of bragging which is a psychological complement of a life, then that is a calculated psychological revenue and profit which is done more to the satisfaction of the braggart than the actual act of offer. It simply signals that, if there is no such a return then braggarts do not give even a penny for the sake of generosity.
Therefore "generosity" is a sweat coated word of social drug/anesthetics but another abstractly coined psychological business of self satisfaction.
Besides value in most cases is a property given to something from without than from within, gold has value not from the claim made by it self but given to it from outside by humans. An achiever has to be a person who does his/her works without the intent of boasting, showcasing and bragging but recognized and appreciated by others and above all by the field of his/her work.
Sometimes boasting has more cultural basis than being human. In a culture I grew up boasting is considered as a life of a balloon inflated by air and in most cases an inner feeling of voidness but pretending to be as big and relevant as they want in a group or in society.
Commercializing products is the same thing as it disguises the real and only motive (selling more and gaining profits) behind showing only what good products they have for consumers to use.
What about bragging about your own/school children? Parents/teachers do this, or not? Perhaps it's an indirect way to brag about yourself, or not?
Cecilia put it very well - "You need to do in Rome as Romans do."
I like this Shakespeare quote very much - from the great tragedy - Hamlet..
HAMLET
"Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion
be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the
word to the action; with this special o'erstep not
the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is
from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the
first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the
mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of
the time his form and pressure. Now this overdone,
or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful
laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the
censure of the which one must in your allowance
o'erweigh a whole theatre of others."
Not sure about You need to do in Rome as Romans do. If you are different you will be spotted more easily, or not? I think the success of the alternative/rare strategy will depend on the local socio-environmental conditions.
Dear Ting Fa,
Thank you for such an interesting question. If a person is boasting about his good deeds then it is his own problem. To boast about something which one has not done is miserable. Moreover, it is stupid. Not once in my presence some persons brag about deeds which I know they have not performed. Such a behavior is shameful.
Let me respond to your question point by point.
1. I try not to judge anybody. It is another question that I prefer not to have relations with guys who have addiction for bragging.
2. If we consider publishing of obtained results as boasting then the answer is yes.
3. Things about which I can boast are too personal. So I boast about those things when I am alone with myself.
4. Unfortunately I was obliged to boast about my professional achievements in response to some subjective judgments of project referees.
5. …..
Yes I do sometimes. I am proud of my schools that I graduted from. Both Purdue University and Illinois Urbana in the USA.
Adaptive psychology: Perhaps bragging is a form of self-motivation to continue ?
DEar Ting Fa Margherita Chang, thank you so much for share this question. Well, as we are dealing with a cross-cultural group, with different perceptions and beliefs, I will try to be as unbiased as possible, while respecting the beliefs and ideologies of each of us. As a Catholic Christian, I have always admired the Master Jesus for His charity and at the same time, humility demonstrations. And the same for the lives of the saints. I do not know if one day I will attain a level of humility, but I do not feel well with news of people (to do good things to others) but use a kind of "marketing" or "self-promotion" disproportionate compared to what they did well to someone, just seeking to satisfy the EGO, selfish. I have a phrase that I built sooner in my early teens, after living with some friends and notice this feature in some people, which caused me disgust. My philosophy, naked is: "We are all equal and one day we all die and will rot and stink (unless those who are cremated) The difference is that some of us stink in life.".
Sorry for the harshness of the answer but really I am appalled with phrases like "I'm the guy," or "Do you know who did it? Idid..."
I can only describe my personal behavior by answering these five questions:
1. How do you judge those who boasts?
@Just do not listen, but my opinion on that person lowers
2. Do you boast yourself?
@Try not to
3. What do you boast about?
@Just small things, like being a good backgammon player
4. In what contexts do you boast more (in the family, with friends, at work, with strangers etc. ) ?
@Family and close friends, where jokes are welcome
5. What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
@Not decent even if it is done for the sake of improved marketing
What do you think about this dilemma?
Yes it is good to have a discussion. Researchgate is a kind of a place for boosting and it helps to build up your generosity. A braggart may have this dilemma, where he or she needs bragging about his or her prosocial behavior who receive penalties instead rewards. I also brag some times and it must be a natural human behavior. Even though article highlights bragging as a selfish motive some times it could be a positive motive when social groups try to bully somebody to turn down upon his or her own skills or talents.
1- How do you judge those who boasts?
If somebody is boosting and asking constructive criticism I would like it and if the approach is different must discourage for his or her own benefit to understand his or her own mental disorders.
2- Do you boast yourself?
Yes I do some times for my own benefit.
3- What do you boast about?
I boost about my work, my achievements as well as my losses.
4- In what contexts do you boast more (in the family, with friends, at work, with strangers etc. ) ?
I do boost for several reasons with my family and colleagues but not with strangers, not just to get the recognition but to have constructive criticism to improve my work.
5- What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
Personally, some times when others boost we can read our own minds, identify our mental disorders and will help us to improve ourselves.
When you concern about marketing products, cigarettes and alcohol beverages may ignite this dilemma
Thanks Vinicius, Prof Zaal, it's great reading your answers. Now it's my turn to be a bit more specific, and answer some of those questions of dear MARG.
1. How do you judge those who boasts?
@ IF THEY KNOW AND SPEAK THE TRUTH, THEY WILL NOT BOAST. Let me share with you about people who do boast.
'It’s a common sight in the Philippines: Local officials erect banners wherever they can, claiming that everything from bus shelters to elementary schools to circumcision clinics was personally provided by them, when in reality they are funded by taxpayers’ money. But for many Filipinos, including some lawmakers, enough is enough. Among them, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is pushing legislation that will prevent politicians or bureaucrats claiming credit for projects built from public funds, and she hopes that the bill can be signed into law before the next national vote in May 2013. If it is passed, the legislation carries some strict penalties, including jail terms of between six and one year and disqualification for any public official who says “I built that” when they didn’t.' See the link, thanks.
2. Do you boast yourself?
@ I only speak with a clear conscience, matters that are truthful and realistic.
5. What are the limits of decency and good taste of these behaviors even in the context of advertising for the marketing of the products?
@ Not decent at all.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indonesiarealtime/2012/09/21/philippine-campaign-takes-aim-at-boastful-politicians/
I personally agree with: @ IF THEY KNOW AND SPEAK THE TRUTH, THEY WILL NOT BOAST.
What is the difference between objectively telling the truth and boast? Are people not allowed to honestly talk about themselves and what they achieved/not achieved in the past?
Dear @Marcel, we can detect when a person is speaking the truth about their past and present achievements. Most of the time they will speak of their weaknesses, and the people who supported them. How often do we achieve something great entirely on our own without the support of family and friends, not to mention DIVINE FAVOR?
'If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast..."
http://www.openbible.info/topics/speaking_the_truth_in_love
This is very true : "Boasting speech is a mark of weakness. Those who do great things are usually silent!"
“WHEN BOASTING ENDS, THERE DIGNITY BEGINS.” -OWEN D. YOUNG
Read more at http://statusmind.com/clever-facebook-status-208/#RC26LF4vhEVmTIwT.99
http://quotes.lifehack.org/quote/owen-d-young/when-boasting-ends-there-dignity-begins/
I would answer this question with two pearls of wisdom from popular culture:
1. Who trusts alone is not worth a bean
2. Who praises himself pours the broth on him.
Additionally, an ancient tale of Aesopus:
There once was a vain peacock.
It gloried for its beautiful feathers. When it saw a puddle, stopped to look at his reflection in the water. "Look at my tail" croaked. "Enjoy that wonderful colors have my feathers. How nice! I'm definitely the most beautiful bird in the world ..."
It opened its tail in a large fan and remained motionless, waiting for someone to come and admired. The other birds began to tire of all this bragging and studied a way to lower the crest the proud peacock. The idea came to the crane.
"Leave it to me," he said "that vain will seem a fool."
One morning the crane went for a walk where was the peacock, which as usual was smoothing feathers and strutted. "Look how beautiful!" He exclaimed. "But you, dear crane, you're pale, no color. Why do not you try to improve your appearance?"
"It may be that your feathers are the most beautiful of my feathers" the crane calmly replied, "but I realized that you cannot fly. Your beautiful feathers are not strong enough to allow you to lift you up in the air. I have no colors but my wings carry me high in the sky! "
Having said so, the crane flew.
Try to get the positive messages (moral) from these sentences.
Dear Ierardi,
I personally saw a peacock flying at least once! He ended up on the roof of a neighbor! I also saw several times peacocks high up in the trees, which logically implies they flew, or not?
Dear Marcel,
Have you never seen a crane flying? I think tha comparison with the peacock is not suitable. Additionally, maybe that peacoks did not fly in the Ancient Greece.
Dear Ierardi,
Yes, I also have seen cranes flying in the States, but I never saw peacocks climbing in the trees.
Cheers
Dear Marcel,
trees are trees and sky is sky. The scenario is completely different, or not?
Dear @Enzo, good story. Dear Marcel, I believe an adult peacock is heavier than a slim adult crane. Flying up to buildings and trees is different from flying for hours. One moral of this story is that each of us has a different variety of talents and gifts, and there's need to consider others better than ourselves. JUST LOGICAL. If we are so great, we should be serving others than desire to be served.
I liked the reply by the eminent friend - Prof. Umachandran.
Sharp replies!! Wish we could see his lectures if available in YouTube..
Dear friends:
I have enclosed a YouTube link of my recent talk.
This is not a plenary address but my plenary address will be very similar.
Though I was not comfortable talking in front of a video camera, it gives a good idea of what I am like in real life! Watching this many times has helped me in many ways how to give a better talk in future.. Your comments are also welcome!
Best wishes, Sundar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg-H6p_EGhM
Bragging has never been my game. I believe in honest silent work. There is no need to tell every "Tom, Dick, and Harry" that I have done this or that for the goodness of those around me or the humanity at large. When one is truly a constructive human being, then what is the point of blowing himself/herself up? A German wisdom says"The good product advertises itself". Let the others find out what you are & they will judge you well sooner or later.
Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.
Richard Dawkins
The relationship between empathy and pro-social behaviors.
The influence of music is considered relevant to development, and predictive utility of music preferences predicts empathy. The lyrical content of specific genres (Music preferences) had a greater influence on cognitive empathy
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=buy.optionToBuy&id=2013-42793-004
@Krishnan:
Are artists bragging in front of a public, e.g. exposing how good they are in classical music or singing?
Are professors bragging in front of students, e.g. telling students complicated stories of which a minority understands what the PR is telling?
@ Marcel
Who ever performs, boasts their skills of display/ accomplishment.
However modest display may vary from Knowledge to entertaining skills.
Dear @Marcel, classical artists like our dear friend, Enzo, who sing and musicians who perform aren't bragging. Ljubomir, Lijo and Irina are all with musical gifts. They are communicating and entertaining others. They are performing and concentrating on their work, not thinking how wonderful they are, so that others may be entertained. That's why some of us learn music for personal reasons, not to be musicians who make a living out of it. I used to practice my instrument for 3 hours a day, but I'm not proud of this at all. I have friends who practiced their violin for 5 hours a day; we speak the truth, we aren't bragging.
In the same way, profs are communicating info and knowledge. I don't think they are bragging. In my student days, the hardworking humble profs produced good students. They didn't brag either. The relationship between humble folks is peaceful. It's heaven on earth. Pride and bragging may not create peace, but may cause strife and contention.
People differ in personality profiles. This is just an observation without judgment concerning what is 'good/attractive' or 'bad/unattractive'. If someone is proud about what he/she realized, I will be happy in her/his place! It's as simple as that
I want to add another flavor to this discussion by boosting my self with a practical example.
I brag about my capability of developing green cities over highways. This will help to utilize vertical space over highways and use alternative energy sources (solar, wind, bio gas etc.) to power these cities. Several layers of roads will be building along these highways through these green cities. I also have the capability of creating localized rains in Sahara and Australian desert area by bringing sea water to these deserts and letting that water to evaporate and redirecting the concentrated salt water back to the sea.
At least one of these comments will receive for my boosting.
Yes it is a good idea.
These people may comment “Why do not you write a proposal and submit to relevant authorities” (Good but still these people have no intention to work on this issue collaboratively)
It is rubbish.
These people have limited vision over this. They are the people who think with in a traditional scientific frame.
It is better to not to comment about this
These people at the same time may think they would have proposed before me. (I had this feeling)
It is better to change the topic and start boosting about their own work.
These people think this is a good idea but they need to suppress this for the moment and they propose another irrelevant topic just to change the direction of this discussion.
Hay this was done before.
This is another comment where people tend to devaluate the issue and at the same time proponent will have a chance to look back and see it positively and avoid any duplication.
Constructive criticism with good intension will help group of people to work together and build up a good project to work.
Dear Chandima,
I support your idea about green cities and desert water!
How will water/salt be transported in an environmental friendly way?
Thank you for your kind attention. My first attempt was to construct concrete canals. This may not possible with sand storms.
There are two approaches which could eliminate that problem. One is to use solar evaporators to evaporate certain percentage of water form the sea water and recharge in to an artificial aquifer under the sand. In the long run with the rain water we can build up a large artificial aquifer in the desert. Later with soil conditioning we could create an oasis in that area.
Second option is to create a surface in a large open space to have natural evaporation. This will help to increase the moisture content in the local atmosphere leading to localized rainfalls. In here we have to construct a very large concrete ball. Then sea water has to pour on top of it like a shower using solar powered water pumps. This part is in open space and even sand get deposited will wash down with the water shower. We have to construct an underground water collector to collect water coming over the surface of the concrete ball as a surface runoff. Flow rates and the discharge from the shower have to adjust according to pre determined salt concentration to avoid production of salt on the surface of the concrete ball.
To implement these two activities we must have an environmental friendly way of transporting sea water to evaporators and near to the concrete ball. We need to have environmentally friendly way of re directing sea water having high salt content back to the sea.
I am suggesting a line of concrete hume pipes for this transportation. This is my imagination. If you like it, please develop it. I just wanted to convert desert areas to habitable livelihoods.
Dear Ting Fa:
As a good data for your research query, I request you to kindly read Prof. Subhash C. Kundu's modest reply titled "The Heights" which is liked by many people in RG, as they have upvoted it! (It is a popular reply in a recent RG thread - see link!)
Thanks, Sundar
https://www.researchgate.net/post/If_a_movie_title_about_your_life_is_ever_needed_what_would_you_choose_it_to_be
Dear Sundarapandian Vaidyanathan,
Thanks my dear for nice comment!
Subhash C. Kundu
My movie title - Human habitat and myself
http://breakfreewithnature.loomhost.com/
I have the impression I am a movie camera. You are all in the movie.
Cheers
Dear friends of RG,
this is not the question on the title of the movie of your life, but the theme is focused on the following question: is rewarding, the behavior that leads a person to brag about?.
Sundar, thanks! It was very useful
The answer given by dear Subhash, who is among the most popular, shows how he went from 'The small is beautiful' to 'the bigger is better'.
The history of many scholars has been, thanks to culture and science, that of the following image
We can judge those who boasts negatively, therefore don't boast and expect to be judged positively. I will give a lower mark to boasters compared to non-boasters.
"I am not a boaster, I am a positive Toaster"
Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Reggae Star
Dear friends, Marg's question #3 is 'What do you boast about?' IF this is boasting, then it's what I 'boast' about - the discipline instilled in children within our Chinese culture to perform Chinese arts. Here is the Fan Dance, performed last night by students at my friends college. From late childhood, many Chinese girls in my country, Singapore and other Asian countries learn these cultural dances, and traditional music. (Please judge for yourself if it's boasting or not. HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR to Marg and all.)
Dearest Miranda,
Children are innocent and it is education that must instill them the rules of Bon ton and the most appropriate way to behave and to get involved, depending on the context in which they operate.
I admire these beautiful artistic children in Singapore.
Affectionately
Marg
The comments and intervention by Dear Ting Fa Margherita Chang for clarifying the question asked is really appreciable.
Because of busy work - I wish to take a break from ResearchGate..
Best wishes, Sundar
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