We intend Gratefulness as the Latin ‘gratia’.
Nothing is much easier (and nicer) than receiving attentions, favours and gratifications. On the opposite, we all know, by experience, how much the virtues of gratitude, acknowledgment and thankfulness are less common.
The strange assumption of immature people is that an action of appreciativeness might imply some sort of indebtedness. In fact, some think that gratitude could constitute an obligation and put the “thanker” in a position of vulnerability.
Instead, GRATEFULNESS denotes a noble, mature personality in which vices like envy, shortsightedness and jealousy have little or no place.
We intend Gratefulness as the Latin ‘gratia’. This virtue also has a component of gratuitousness despite the very fact that it is, in itself, a positive recompense. Actually, when we show gratitude we are repaying someone for his benevolence towards ourselves. But some gratuitousness is in the very choice of showing GRATEFULNESS as compared to the alternative of not doing it. And this leads us to an important point, i.e. the distinction from any formality. Indeed, our idea of gratitude implies a corresponding feeling. The person showing appreciation should not just display recognition but should really feel thankfulness.
This is Sokratiko’s way to interpret the notion of GRATEFULNESS. Please continue to browse our list of philosophical TOPICS by clicking on the other entries of our list.