You're jumping to conclusions based on false assumptions. I've been writing about coins for over 20 years, and I have yet to make or receive even 1 cent as a result of doing so. In every instance, what you refer to as the "target" of my writing is nothing more than the sharing of knowledge. And I do 100% of it for free - always have and always will. Now I don't know if that qualifies as what you call "pure learning", but then I don't care if it does or not.
Then, you have been losing money for 20 years... Anyway, GDJMSP, what/how you are doing is personal things. But, in your these words too, I see one thing which is repeated by everybody in the World. It is: "even 1 cent"... EVEN 1 Cent... ? Everybody on the Earth saying this expression or similar expressions. What is meant by "Even 1 cent" ?
Granted, I worded my sentence differently, But the way you are saying it, the word "not" must be inserted to convey the same meaning as what I said, as in - not even 1 cent. And what it mans is pretty simple and straightforward - it means no money at all.
Hmmm....I haven't read this entire thread (or that other one), but it seems as though you are being told that either you are somehow nefariously or secretly monetizing your activities here (shame). Or, if not, then you are 'losing' money here by NOT finding a way to make money. Sounds like you are getting slammed either way. I guess some folks think everything relates to making money and nothing can be selfless, altruistic, intellectually stimulating, or done for generous purpose. What a cold and lonely outlook.
It seems that this post just above is adding some coal to the embers. I didn't prefer to use the "adding fuel to the fire" intentionally as it is already a dying flame which already enlightened dark room enough so that I caught/found the lost key(word) which is "even 1 cent", an expression which exists in all languages in the World. (I mean that my posts here in this thread were actually not targetting/questioning any person here, that is not upto me of course and not in my interest. By the way, neither trying to make money is a shame, nor losing money is an incapability, so, there is no any slam here. However, there is a generalization here and that can be summarized as in "even 1 cent".) Does "Even 1 cent" or "Not Even 1 cent", same meaning(?) with "even", mean "no money at all"? Or, "small money"? I think that people in general use it to mean "small money". And, it just shows how people view the money in general and 1 cent in particular and that view of people, the mainstream view, is a questionable view. Anyway, "that other thread" covers also that.
I would love to donate! If I could get some proper grades on my pcgs graded coins, I would absolutely contribute to coin talk. But Im still waiting...
Money isnt everything..you can contribute or donate other things like knowledge or experience..maybe advice
Take, for ex, a medicine doctor who has spent efforts for 5-7 years after high school to gain the knowledge and some more years to gain experience. Can you give her/him an advice by telling she/he can donate the knowledge&experience she/he has gained? Although it is not exactly same, a coin collector/scholar/etc with knowledge&experience isn't different, in this life condition. The only exception can be ... (anyway, it is in another thread.)
If you always leave a place a little better than you found it, however possible, you'll never go wrong!
Even the "pro bono" lawyers don't do anything for the public good for free. Their profit may be indirect, such as for career or for a better position or it is just advertising their business. If they are not making any kind of profit (directly money or indirectly money) from their activities, then, they end up as homeless people. Other folks? As an example, lets take animal lovers activists. As if they are thinking/caring animals, aren't they? Give them a one cent and see their reaction, you'll see it is not different than that of animal haters.
There are two kinds of people in this world. There are takers and there are givers. Takers can only survive as long as there are givers but givers can survive for ever because what goes around, comes around. Thats why I love to give, cause I know whats coming...
I dont think using lawyers as an example of a giving person is a good analogy. You might want to reconsider that one.
There are not two kinds of people like "takers" and givers". Some people take somethings while some others take somethings else and some people give somethings while some others give somethings else. Broad topic. If we narrow these to "money", every person takes it, but, by giving a thing, that's usually "effort". I give effort, and take "money" from someones who too give "effort" and take "money" from someones. In this loop/cycle, who gives money? Nobody, again, it is ourselves, some of us who spend "effort". Concrete meaning of effort here again can be seen in "one cent". To give it to someone requires an effort and also to take it requires an effort. That's real "pay it forward".
There are a few good ones. Like the guys that helped Tankleff. I always felt this guy was innocent, and if not for some pro bono fellows, this guy would still be languishing in prison.