No More Wasting Of Social Capital – Josh Journal
Social capital is the average sum of respect and goodwill people around you have for you. It is a product of people’s perception of you. It is their reaction to what you do, how you act, and who you are.
When a Yoruba say “eniyan láṣọ”, that is a measure of the amount of social capital a person has in their favor. It is how many people will rise voluntarily to your banner if the need ever arises.
One will assume that being wealthy automatically bestows social capital on someone. One will be very wrong regarding that.
How many people do you know that if push comes to shove, you would help someone who can’t afford to repay you before you help them?
And how many people do you know that people around you will never be in a hurry to help?
When you are a toxic person, people will be less likely to give up their time or resources to help you out. If you are unappreciative or disrespectful, you stand in the same boat.
This isn’t just about help. It is more about moments and situations that money cannot fix.
I know people who still benefit from one goodness their parents or siblings have done to someone else. That is a social capital that is paying dividends even to an extra degree of connection.
And there are people who no one will help because of the kind of person either of their parents were.
We all spend social capital when we recommend someone for a job or opportunity. When we stand as a guarantor or referee for someone. Also, when you plead with someone to grant a favor to someone else on your behalf.
Recently, I have come to realize that some people are a waste of social capital.
They have other options that were qualitative, affordable, and reliable, but because they know you won’t say no, they will still approach you. Ignoring the fact that it would be a bother and inconvenience to you or whoever you are contacting to help out.
Someone went as far as receiving the same favor from someone else, then approaching me to repeat the same job on his behalf. Only so he can compare both outputs and go with whichever he preferred.
This is for a service that would normally cost mid-five figures, and take two to three working days to complete.
Do you think I am that much less busy? Or whoever I could have called to get it done doesn’t have something paying to attend to?
Just because I don’t charge you for a service doesn’t mean it is not costing me or someone else to get it done.
Some people are worth every bit of social capital expended on them. Even if they won’t repay you, they appreciate it and pay it forward to someone else.
I consider these people a worthy investment. Not just for myself, but for others too.
As for opportunists and ingrates, who believe they are being smart and taking advantage of the goodness of your heart, just know you are a waste.
Once I have an antecedent of you being disrespectful of mine and other’s time and resources, not only do you lose my respect. But note that I will never waste my social capital on you again.
It might actually not be worth much, but I’m better off giving it to those who truly need, deserve, and appreciate it.
Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator, and Creative Writer.
Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. @IJOSWIL
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