"We'd all like a reputation for generosity, and we'd all like to buy it cheap"

This quote by Mignon McLaughlin talks to the human desire to be seen as generous and kind. All of us wish to be viewed as generous, but we don't want to have to put in the effort or invest the cash to do so. We want to be able to purchase our credibility for kindness cheaply, without having to put in the effort or make the sacrifices that true kindness requires. This quote speaks to the idea that true kindness is not something that can be bought, but rather something that should be made through effort and devotion. It is a suggestion that real generosity is not something that can be bought, but rather something that needs to be made through hard work and devotion.