Is The ‘Pay It Forward’ An Act of Kindness or Just Good For Business?

We hear about this all the time; a customer at a drive-up window pays for their order, and the for the person behind them, who, in turn, pays for the person behind them, and so on. On two separate occasions, Leslie mentioned this on the air and BOOM...everyone begins paying it forward. It usually seems to involve a Starbucks location, which I always found interesting.  It usually keeps going, I think, in large part, because who wants be the scrooge that puts an end to the streak?  Not me, that's for sure, and therein lies the problem.

At some point, is is fair to say that paying it forward becomes a mild obligation because nobody wants to be the buzz-kill?  I think so, and so does a blogger in Florida, who heard about a pay it forward streak at a local Starbucks.  He drove to the store and ended the streak because when he placed his order, the cashier asked him if he wanted to pay for the person behind him, and that's when he ended the streak.

He did it not because he wanted to to stop it, but because the cashier asked, which completely changed the dynamic of something that is no longer a spontaneous, fun thing to do, and he felt like he was being guilted into it, with which I actually agree.

In my opinion, the moment you are asked to participate, the spirit of the act is dead, and the meaning changes drastically for something like a pay it forward, which is totally different from a charity soliciting donations. Asking is the only way most charities can raise the funds they need.

Asking customers if they want to pay it forward kinda becomes a quasi, left-handed marketing ploy, don't you think?  If paying it forward is a true act of kindness and generosity, it needs to take on a life of it's own, without anybody asking or even suggesting you take part. Pay it forward is great, as long as it starts and ends on it's own. What do you think?

[ABC News]