Actors - when to help when not to...?

I've been scolded for being too generous and too nice to help a fellow actor who apparently wanted me to provide them MORE information on casting calls.

While I'm all for helping an actor out on occasion, the tough call comes from having to separate those who truly are looking for help from those who are looking for a handout and won't help themselves or, worse, not provide any real helpful information in return.

While I can find information on my own, it wouldn't hurt to get another avenue of information!

So if I see something that might appeal to another actor, I forward it on. If there's something I know I could be in competition for with another actor, I send it forward anyway. This is what drives my friends bonkers. They think I'm being too generous and that I get very little back for it.

A part of me wants to do the right thing and not expect anything. That good things will come to me in due time and that spreading the riches, well, there's nothing wrong with that.

But do others do the same for me? Not really. I've had some who knowingly sent me a shitty gig that they obviously did not want ($20.00 for a ten hour gig, I don't think so) while I've sent some gigs that paid much better that they didn't even know about! For those I get a 'thank you' and that's about it. And some think that by sending the same information out that our mutual friend just sent to me five minutes before is somehow helpful when it's not.

Until this point, I don't even try to think about it. Why? Thinking about it, I fear I may end up resenting this good thing I do and stop doing it. I don't want to 'hate' on fellow actors, and it's not just about the acting. This is about something bigger. This is about every aspect of my life, where generosity is viewed as a weakness and something to take advantage of and not supported or encouraged.

Since when is generosity a sign of stupidity or being slow? I guess it got lost after the Sesame Street years for some.

I have honed on particulars as to when I will send information but I will stop answering further questions beyond that. This is free information that one should be careful not to push or stomp on with their thoughtless actions. This is why people start charging money for this kind of thing because it's a SERVICE.

One actor kept harassing me for questions on how to find something on line, then who is casting it, then, is there a phone number -- for a casting call that I sent on to them. It was not information I had but more about this person wanting information they were too lazy to inquire to the casting person directly themselves. My God, a simple Google search would've worked wonders for these people. They use computers to write me! And they come from all ages, all walks of life.

Yet, they wanted me to answer this. I gently reminded them to respond to the call. I did not have a number but they assumed I did and wanted it. Now, if I had the number, was I under some obligation to give it?

Maybe I'm putting too much thought into this. As my friend tells me, I'm not a casting director, and I could find better uses for my time instead of passing information on. All I keep thinking is, I would want someone to give me a headsup on what is an aspect of my career. That's what the stupid networking is all about. If I am networking with a bunch of people who don't want to return the favor, then why even bother networking since I'll never hear about anything good?