Buying friendship with gifts

I've once read a story about a multimillionaire in the Daily paper like decades ago. How he went from riches to rock bottom trying to buy expensive gifts for his fake friends who simply abandoned him the moment he went broke.

[Random two cent mind dump]

Made me think about a post a few days ago. How easily people can take advantage of these types of people. I don't think I could accept free stuff ...it makes one feel obligated to them... nothing in life is free without any consequences.

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FullerSchmidt · 36-40, MVIP

The thing is, that's what makes you different from these people.

There is absolutely nothing that legally obliges you to repay kind-for-kind, if someone chooses to give you something.

Perhaps in times gone by, society would have instilled virtues like reciprocity, which would make you feel obligated to them, but in reality you're simply not.

Even if you don't like them, you can just take their gift and ghost them, and nothing bad will ever happen to you.

However, if the person thinks he's buying friendship,at least be honest with them. Either tell them that the only reason you're associating with them is cause of the free stuff, so they know that they're just leasing your companionship, or don't take the gift, and tell them that you don't actually like then, and their gift won't change that.