“It’s a favor Jay. Just a favor”

When Nick tells Gatsby he’s going to invite Daisy over for tea, and Gatsby offers a sideline job as an expression of gratitude, Mr. Carraway says my favorite quote in the entire movie:

“It’s a favor Jay. Just a favor”

The best part is that Gatsby is absolutely floored at the idea that Nick would do something for him simply out of kindness, without expecting anything in return. It’s so sad, that someone lives in such an artificial world that he simply can not believe that someone would come along and perform an act of kindness for no reason but good intention. And unfortunately, its a theme that is still very prevalent in the real world. 

Life today is often compared to life during the jazz age. We live in a world plagued by commercialism, where the dollar rules all, and as a result, members of society often believe success is merely a function of material wealth and societal status. Another glaring similarity between Fitzgerald’s 1920s and life today is the interaction of people.

Everyone has heard the quote, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, as if the main goal to meet and interact with people is to use them to progress in life later on. Just like the characters in the Great Gatsby, many people today use others for parties, money, and job opportunities. And unfortunately, as a society we sort of just accept this foundation for relationships: that it is our duty to provide our closest friends with some quantifiable or tangible benefit, as if friendship alone isn’t enough.

As a result, when people come along and genuinely enjoy doing good things for others, like Nick Carraway, we begin to question their motives. Like Gatsby, we can’t fathom that certain people would want to do something nice for us simply out of the kindness of their heart. And that’s really, really, really, god damn unfortunate. 

Everyone has value. Our job is not to exploit it, but to care for it and appreciate it, letting that person know they matter.

There are special people out there – people that enjoy helping others simply out of the kindness of their heart, and because it makes them feel good. Not everyone is a Daisy and mooches off of others, performing good deeds with only self interest in mine. Unfortunately, because there are so many Daisies, and not enough Nicks, that society has begun to view this act of doing good deeds for ultimate personal gain as just a natural part of moving up in life. We see it everywhere in life: people do community service to put it on a college application, do their bosses extraordinary favors to get a promotion.

The reality is: Doing good things does not make you a good person.

Motivation matters. Why are you doing the things you’re doing? Is it to put on a resume, or is it because you genuinely enjoy helping others. For the only time in your life, be a Nick Carraway; do good things as a favor. Be special. Be extraordinary. Volunteer at a place because it will make others smile.

Exemplified by Gatsby’s and Nick’s close friendship, doing good things because you genuinely care about the happiness of others is what will help build your closest and most special relationships. Not only that, but it will genuinely change society. Society has grown so accustomed to the artificiality of today’s world, that people are absolutely bewildered when someone does something good for no reason but to help others. These people are special, and don’t come along too often.

Change that.

So today, volunteer at a soup kitchen, visit a senior home and spend time with the residents, give some spare change to a homeless person, or simply hold a door open. Make someone’s day for absolute no reason. We can only realize the value of each other and ourselves when we begin to truly value the well-being of society as a whole.

Be Nick Carraway. Do something good.