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What is "Doing something you don't want to do, but you do it to satisfy other people " Called?

Blubbobi
I've been wondering this

35 comments

Historical-Worry5328•
A kind way of putting it would be a 'people pleaser' and a more negative way would be a 'martyr'.
KeyNo5951•
people pleaser
ExistentialCrispies•
a fancy word for this might be acquiesce, which suggests you may not want to do it but you're agreeing to anyway, however in the context it's generally used the person you're acquiescing to probably knows you don't want to do it. Accommodate another option but that doesn't necessarily mean you don't want to do it, Oblige could also work, that usually means you're doing it because you have to (unless you're saying "happy to oblige", a common phrase, and mean it).
pptenshii•
Most people would say that’s being a people pleaser
SnooDonuts6494•
Altruistic.
mdcynic•
Adding to some of the answers already given and adding a couple of my own. Capitulate is close to "surrender", so it might be appropriate if the other person is asking or pestering you about it. Acquiesce is a bit softer than capitulate, and in my mind tends to imply that you're doing it as a courtesy rather than under more significant duress. Appease is synonymous but might imply less courtesy than acquiesce and less duress than capitulate. To "humor someone" is to do what they want even if you don't agree it makes sense or is particularly good. Like, you might "humor \[a child\]" by playing along with their attempts for attention through exaggerated claims. "Suzie claimed she would die if forced to go to school, and Sam humored her by asking which sibling should inherit her toys." But it doesn't have to be with a child. To be hospitable or accommodating means you're being welcoming and kind to others, or going out of your way to make them feel comfortable, but those words don't necessarily imply you didn't want to do it. To placate is to calm someone down. If you're doing it because you feel bad about something, like having previously angered or harmed the person, you might describe your feeling as contrition. Adjectives or adverbs might be your best bet here. Like to do something with reluctance or unwillingly. Simply adding context could also be an elegant solution. For example, "Mark would have preferred to stay home, but he accommodated Phil's request." You could add "out of a sense of obligation" or ", feeling a sense of contrition" or "to avoid conflict" to provide more detail. EDIT: I saw others recommend "people pleaser", which I find to be a somewhat ugly phrase (aesthetically), but it describes a person who embodies the sentiment you expressed. I've also seen it used as a verb on occasion but that would be extremely informal and many would regard it as ungrammatical.
DonnyBup274•
Chores
Luke03_RippingItUp•
being a people pleaser?
Felix_Fi•
As you will find by the variance in answers, this action you describe casts a wide net over a multitude of contexts, and thus, I would suggest you figure the specific context of what you are trying to convey.
Paccuardi03•
That sounds like peer pressure
Leading-Buy3243•
An act of selflessness.
oihell•
Compliance, perhaps? It can be used to express some way of submission, I believe.
fienddao•
nice guy?
scriptingends•
Life
grubbygromit•
My job
Lazorus_•
Depends on the context. People please if it’s all you ever do. Could be a compromise in some cases, or could be being a good friend or smth (I don’t know what the correct word would be) if like I don’t want to go to the store but my roommate is really sick or something. Hope that makes sense!
riarws•
Slang would be "take one for the team"
Blackappletrees•
Appeasement Appeaser To appease someone
ZealousidealDingo594•
Duty… obligation
Natural_Muscle7124•
People pleasing
Elegant-Ad-7877•
Following. Follow is the verb.
KindRange9697•
Life?
DustTheOtter•
The most common term I have personally heard is, "people pleaser." Another one I hear a lot is, "yes man," which, in it's original meaning, is someone who agrees with everything someone says, even if what they say or do should be criticized. People usually do this to gain favor, money, and/or power. However, another way to use the word, though it could technically be classified as slang, is someone who never says no when they're asked to do something, even if they don't want to do it. This is usually done because the person fears the other will be hurt or will think less of them, although there could be many different reasons.
maitiuiscool•
I would maybe say "I feel obligated to <do something>" or "I owe it to <person/people> to <do something>", depending on the specific situation. These can carry a negative connotation, but don't always. (Native English speaker from Chicago)
TwunnySeven•
I feel like the best answer is reluctance, or doing something reluctantly. it doesn't inherently mean you're doing it just to satisfy other people, but it's very commonly used in that context
trinite0•
If it's an unpleasant burden that you accept so that others don't have to do it, you can use the idiom: "Taking one for the team." For example, if all of your roommates are busy studying for their exams, so you are stuck with taking out the trash and cleaning the toilet, they might thank you for taking one for the team.
PunkCPA•
Work
BubbhaJebus•
To do something grudgingly. To humor someone. To accommodate someone. To appease. To indulge.
SmokeActive8862•
people pleaser. if you are being influenced to do so, we call it peer pressure :)
Responsible_Heron394•
You reluctantly do something
frothyloins•
Obsequious?
notacanuckskibum•
Go along to get along
Optimal-Ad-7074•
I think it really depends on context and the specific thing.   "Giving someone their pound of flesh" came to my mind.  it has a specific connotation though.  it comes from the Merchant of Venice where Shylock makes a spiteful demand of Antonio, ostensibly to satisfy a debt but (arguably) as a "legal" way of murdering him.     lip service could work too.  more for verbal concessions than actions.  
smarterthanyoda•
You could call it humoring the person. “My father is superstitious so I throw salt over my shoulder to humor him.”
LanceAndrewReddit•
I don’t know the most direct way to say it, there’re plenty of phrases that convey that meaning, I’m not sure if there’s one most socially acceptable way to say it. It’s often thought of as “passive” behavior since it usually involves one not communicating that they don’t wish to do something. The phrase in the title seems pretty normal especially if shortened to “Doing something you don’t want to do, to satisfy (other) people”. Of course I’m not an expert though just a random person.