hypothetical generosity
The age-old "easy for you to say" confirmation that you would indeed be kind/liberal with extra resources **if you had them**.
A "classic" tongue-in-cheek reference to hypothetical generosity is related in the humorous short story "Downeast Socialism", by Maine humorist Marshall Dodge: Ethan Robay was tellin' Enoch Turner 'bout the lectshuh he'd heard Norman Thomas give about Socialism. "It's all 'bout SHARIN', Enoch --- with socialism, a fella SHAYUHS ever'thin' with his neighbuh."
"Does dat mean, Ethan, dat if you had two fahms, you'd give me one of dem?" Enoch asked.
"Ayuh --- if I had two fahms, Enoch, I'd give you one of them," Ethan replied.
"And does dat also mean, if you had two hay-rakes, you'd give me one of dem, too?" Enoch puhsisted.
"Yuh --- if I had two hay-rakes, I'd give you one of them," Ethan confirmed.
Enoch cocked his nose a might and flashed Ethan a crafty smirk. "And if you had two **hogs**, Ethan --- would you give me one of DEM??"
"DANG you, Enoch --- you KNOW that I **got** two HOGS!"
"Does dat mean, Ethan, dat if you had two fahms, you'd give me one of dem?" Enoch asked.
"Ayuh --- if I had two fahms, Enoch, I'd give you one of them," Ethan replied.
"And does dat also mean, if you had two hay-rakes, you'd give me one of dem, too?" Enoch puhsisted.
"Yuh --- if I had two hay-rakes, I'd give you one of them," Ethan confirmed.
Enoch cocked his nose a might and flashed Ethan a crafty smirk. "And if you had two **hogs**, Ethan --- would you give me one of DEM??"
"DANG you, Enoch --- you KNOW that I **got** two HOGS!"
hypothetical generosity by QuacksO November 2, 2018
Get the hypothetical generosity mug.