How often do you find the saying, ”No good deed goes unpunished”, to be true?

Many times growing up, I have encountered people that don’t go out of their way to do anything extra for anyone, because they say ”No good deed goes unpunished”, they will just end up getting screwed in the end. I am sure you have some examples of that if you think hard enough. I helped out my neighbor getting some food but his medication wore off, he is in agony, then the lift on the bus failed leaving him stranded on the street. Rather than leave him, I stick around because they are sending a special shuttle. The shuttle has only enough room for him, leaving behind me and his groceries. Then it was wait more than half an hour for the bus, or hike just over a mile to get home, it was a long walk with groceries, let me tell you.

I try to be a nice guy and let this woman the daughter of a good friend knew who was homeless, crash in my basement to escape the winter rain. Her boyfriend, which she is no longer with, rips me off of more than $300 on tools and other goods.

You work hard to do a special surprise for with help of @MRSHINYSHOES and @Bellatrix, some blip, glitch, @snowberry curse, etc the question goes “poof”, and all that effort is nullified.

It was a hot summer day once and I am driving home. I see this man walking on the back road I use to avoid traffic. There are not many places on that road one can get to and far apart. After I had passed him I get the crazy thought of maybe I should have offered him a ride, the closes place to where he was, was still a good half of a mile away. If I would have ignored him, and gone on my merry way, I would have been fine. I decide I will make a U-turn. The slope of the shoulder, or whatever, making that U-turn I blow the knuckles in my CV joint, NOW I AM STRANDED, all for trying to do a good deed. If no good deed goes unpunished, why do it in the first place?

If the people who have “made it” or like Mr. Burns Simpsons I think I see why. If trying to do the “right thing”, a good gesture, or deed, is going to leave you at a disadvantage or poorer, then why do it? Why not just look out for yourself and your immediate close family and lessen your chances of getting [redacted]?