Abstract
Most people are taught from an early age that it is better to give than to receive, that it's nice to be nice. And it is. But, according to a new book, an increasing number of people are taking the concept of niceness to such a degree that it is no longer a benign, admirable character trait. Instead, it is a pathological condition--known by the professionals as "caretaker personality disorder,"' or the "disease to please"--with dire consequences. Extreme selflessness is a character trait that can be used to mask a variety of psychological and emotional problems. Here, Greenspoon examines some of the ambiguities that arise in appropriating the expression from the book of Acts: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."