How kind is "too kind"?

[Occhidiangela]

I live on a hall in what's considered specialty housing. We have our own social room for our use. It's a converted dorm room with a TV, couch, etc., that we managed to finagle out of Res Life after the freshman complained last year that our hall hogged the first floor social room. We all hang out in there, and my hallmates have a fondness for video games. I started keeping my PS2 in there after my hallmates promised that if they used it, they would put all the parts back into the cabinet when they were done.

This is the straw that broke the camel's back, after

--people kept leaving the PS2 out in the middle of the social room floor, when no one was in there, the door was wide open, and all the lights were on--just begging for someone to walk by and grab it. I told people not to do it, and it still kept happening.
--People kept leaving the game discs everywhere, even when I asked my hallmates to case the games when finished.
--My memory card and cords have made various disappearing/reappearing acts.
--And a few of my games have gone walking off for a few days, only to mysteriously return after a weekend or a break.

So I declared that I would keep my PS2 in my room for now on. My hallmates are unhappy. I'm this close to saying "well, tough s**t, you should have respected my property." Also, my room isn't in tip-top condition and there's a chance that the game is buried somewhere. :rolleyes: However, this isn't the first time someone has borrowed a game and returned it only when I raised a stink about it.

So I add to the morality discussion. How kind is too kind? Please share your stories. ^_^
[right][snapback]63022[/snapback][/right]

Apparently some of your hallmates felt, after a period of your generosity, that they were entitled to treat your stuff, which you had shared with your friends, as though it were community property. When it's community property, unless folks feel it is "theirs" then it becomes 'no one's' and as such, loses its identity as yours . . . in their eyes.

This is not an uncommon social behavior.

Your response to those disappointed need not be "tough turds." It is even simpler, to my view . . . with a nod to Otter.

"I screwed up, I trusted y'all." (You are in southern Virginia, right?)
"My trust has been abused. I will do what I must to protect my property."

That's telling it like it is, and from your story, it appears that some folks in your hall need to hear the truth. Perhaps mommy and daddy shielded them from it for too long??? Who knows.

Occhi

PS: I am still working on my son on this one, I must admit. "XXXX kept leaving the game discs everywhere, even when I asked XXXXX to case the games when finished."

In our house/hall, Wacraft III Frozen Throne has been put on hold for a week due to careless handling.