Great thread Peanutter! I know you didn't want to make a it a Q&A but you raised so many interesting considerations I wanted to make sure I thought about them all... So here's my take on sharing...

* if your child is playing with a toy, and other toys are available, would you encourage your child to let the other kid play with the toy? or should the other child leave yours alone, and find something else themself? does it depend on whose house you are at?
I'd encourage DS to share the toy with the other child, probably try distraction, but if he is really into it and he had it first then I would then try and engage the other child in something else.

* if your colleague forgets their lunch, would you offer to share yours? or offer to loan them some money?
I'd definately offer to lend them some money. I'm a middle child so not very good at sharing my food LOL!

* if a friend is in financial difficulty, so you offer help? what kind of help?
I would offer emotional support, advice, money making / saving ideas, and help out with babysitting or whatever I could if appropriate. But I wouldn't offer to lend them money (I've been burnt before). If they asked to borrow money, that could be different, but it would be on a case by case basis.

* what about family?
Same as for a friend. In my book friends are family.

* how well would you need to know someone on bellybelly for you to be willing to offer assistance?
Depends on the kind of assistance. In a couple of recent instances I've donated money to help out other BB members who are doing it tough. In terms of personal/emotional support outside of the BB arena, I would have to know them very well. I guess what holds me back is I worry about being perceived as meddling or interfering when it may not be my place.

* do you give to people begging? buy the big issue? donate to charities?
As a rule I don't give money to beggers. Usually they ask for money for food, when they do this I offer to go and buy them a meal then and there. Even though DH and I have done this on countless occassions, we've only been taken up on the offer once. We do donate to charities on an adhoc basis and where there is a crisis (bush fires, flooding, tsunami, earth quake etc). Generally though, I prefer to do things in my own communities, like helping BB members out when things are tough, or generously supporting our Child Care Centres fundraising efforts (they only support one local charity).

* if you see a complete stranger in trouble (falling over on the street, fainting on the train, throwing up at the shops, whatever) do you help? do you call for help but not intervene personally?
Yes. However, if that person appears to be affected by drugs or intoxicated then I wouldn't intervene personally.

* do you share/help out when you know it's not likely to be reciprocated (whether a repeat offender friend/relative, or someone you know isn't in a position to help out in return)?
If it's the case of the person not being able to reciprocate for whatever reason, then yes. But if it simply a case of someone who is all take and no give, then no.

* how personal does your sharing get? do/would you donate blood? plasma? bone marrow? a kidney? breastmilk? eggs? would you be a surrogate for someone? with these things, would you do it for an immediate family member? friend? acquaintence? stranger?
In terms of donating to anyone and everyone, I would happily donate BM. Organs and blood marrow etc, I think I would donate to a family member or friend and probably even an acquaintence. But in terms of just donating, I'm afraid I'm not that generous.

* do you give away goods that you would be happy to keep, because you think someone else needs/would appreciate them more?
Not really. I might have done this with friends, but I would be unlikely to donate something I wanted to keep to charity.

* what do you expect of others? do those expectations change based on anything (wealth, time available, upbringing, etc?)
I'm a big believer in 'do on to others as you would have done on to you' and also the ideal of 'give and take'. I think I make exceptions for people based upon circumstances, but only some circumstances - eg someone who is pressed for time because they are raising a family vs someone who is pressed for time because they are too busy going out and socialising all the time etc. I guess I expect everyone to contribute to their community in some way, shape of form. I guess I don't really respect those who choose not to, or choose to make their life all about themself and their needs.

* how do you decide when to offer advice etc, and when to keep your thoughts to yourself?
Depends on the area, how well I know that person and how I expect that advice to be received. I am very conscious of not coming across as a 'know-it-all' so often hold back.

* when you share in different ways, do you do it because you feel you should, or because you enjoy it, or because you think we all should, or other reasons?
Generally it's because I think we all should, but sometimes it is because I feel I should.

* do you find sharing and generosity hard to talk about in general?
With people who share my sense of community - no. With people who are self centred and all about them - yes.
Mind you I have found that answering these questions is requiring me to divulge some quite personal aspects of myself. I don't think I've ever discussed this in this much depth.

* what do you think the main influences on your views about all this to be? upbringing? spiritual beliefs and value system? your partner's views? what you want for your children?
Probably my upbringing. But I also think a big part of it is that notion of 'give and take'. I'd like to think that if I was in trouble there would be others there to help me out, so I make sure I do the same in return IYKWIM? Gee that sounds a bit selfish doesn't it?