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I'm generous if you like me,
but if you don't like me,
I will become greedy

A pirate might hate me,
yet we share a common goal

What am I?

Edit: This one was probably a little too broad, with 13 answers.

The intended answer is probably not as good as the answer I currently accepted.

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6
  • $\begingroup$ Do you and the pirate share a common goal? $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 15:50
  • $\begingroup$ @Areeb Yes, the "I" and the pirate share a common goal. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 15:52
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Another pirate? $\endgroup$
    – Daniel M.
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 21:49
  • $\begingroup$ What was the intended answer? $\endgroup$
    – jpmc26
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 14:02
  • $\begingroup$ @jpmc26 I added the intended answer. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 14:49

14 Answers 14

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Are you

Digital rights management (DRM)

I'm generous if you like me,

If you have content to distribute it provides you with protection from copyright infringement

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

If you breech the rules, they may sue you

A pirate might hate me,

Pirates illegally distribute copyrighted works and thus may hate the DRM

yet we share a common goal

Both the DRM and pirates want to ultimately distribute the copyrighted works.

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4
  • $\begingroup$ This is not the intended answer, but I can see it fit. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 18:55
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ I don't fully agree with that last sentence. There are several creators that want to restrict who consumes their creations, and DRM supports that goal. $\endgroup$
    – Wayne Werner
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 22:13
  • $\begingroup$ This riddle was too broad and the answer is not as good as this one, so I have accepted this answer. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 7:47
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Wouldn't pirates actually love DRM? That's because it exists that they breach it and make their money (for some, other do it for fun or defiance, but that still means they like it). $\endgroup$
    – MorganFR
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 13:32
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robinhood

I'm generous if you like me

Gives money to the poor and those in need

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

Wants to take money from rich people who don't like him

A pirate might hate me,

For my "goodness"

yet we share a common goal

stealing loot

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1
  • $\begingroup$ This is not the intended answer. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 18:59
10
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Are you

pattern matching

I'm generous if you like me,

like can be used to match larger patterns with wildcards (e.g. SQL).

but if you don't like me I will become greedy

Reg exp matching wildcards default to greedy matching

A pirate might hate me,

Pattern matching is used to identify pirated content (e.g. on YouTube)

yet we share a common goal

Pirates are also looking to find copies of known patterns (media)

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6
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A merchant?

I'm generous if you like me

People like merchants they think are generous

But greedy if you hate me

Same idea in reverse, people hate merchants they think are greedy

A Pirate might hate me

Merchant ships are traditionally targets for pirates

But we share a common goal

Take as much money/goods/plunder from their victims/vict... err customers as possible.

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2
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ I would think that pirates would love a merchant vessel $\endgroup$
    – Taegost
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 19:52
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I think it could be argued either way. Would you kill someone you actually liked? For the perspective of the question, they like the opportunity, but hate the target. $\endgroup$
    – Quezecoatl
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 19:55
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I'm going to give the intended answer. The intended answer was

algebra

I'm generous if you like me,

algebra is generous, she often gives more than is asked of her - Jean le Rond d'Alembert
However, this applies only if you like it of course.

If you don't like me, I will become greedy

Most high school students don't like algebra, and algebra greedily takes their time

A pirate might hate me, yet we share a common goal

If you like algebra, you will likely become a mathematician, not a pirate
However, both elementary algebra and a pirate want to find the $X$.

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3
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ Why would you become a pirate? And why do pirates hate algebra? surely it's helped a LOT in nautical activities. I think this is a really weak answer. $\endgroup$
    – BenM
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 15:46
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ 'x^3 z' marks the spot :P $\endgroup$
    – smci
    Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 17:36
  • $\begingroup$ woot for find the 'X' :) $\endgroup$
    – kns98
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 13:36
4
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It's

darkness

I'm generous if you like me,

There is plenty of darkness, especially at night. If you like it, you can get it.

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

There is plenty of darkness, especially at night. If you don't like it it's hard to get away from it.

A pirate might hate me,

There are ninjas!

yet we share a common goal

"stealing" something (money/light) and hiding it; striking fear into peasants

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4
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Could you be...

Social Security / Welfare / Taxes ?

I'm generous if you like me,

Provides for people and things (like roads) that people use

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

If you don't need Social Security / Welfare, taxes are seen as greedy

A pirate might hate me,

He doesn't want to share his booty!

yet we share a common goal

To provide for a comfortable life

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Puzzling, and good answer! Thank you for explaining it c: $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 23:12
3
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The sea?

I'm generous if you like me,

Fans of the sea think of the bounty it provides, such as food

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

people who don't like the sea think about the lives lost

A pirate might hate me,

Seasick?

yet we share a common goal

Not sure about this.

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1
  • $\begingroup$ No, this is not what I had in mind. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 15:48
3
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Work

I'm generous if you like me,

If you like working, you can earn money.

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

There is no money without working.

A pirate might hate me,

Obvious!

yet we share a common goal

The goal of work is money such as the goal of a pirate.

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3
  • $\begingroup$ Pff..no money without working? Are you serious? $\endgroup$
    – Marius
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 18:26
  • $\begingroup$ @Marius It really depends on the country. $\endgroup$
    – wythagoras
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 18:54
  • $\begingroup$ It depends more on the social status than on the country $\endgroup$
    – Marius
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 18:57
3
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Fun answer

Termites

I'm generous if you like me,

Feed a termite and they would eat your home

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

Don't feed a termite and they might just eat your house

A pirate might hate me,

He may lose his (wooden) leg to the termites

yet we share a common goal

Pirates take money, termites take wood

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2
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You are:

A king

I'm generous if you like me,

If you like a king he will be generous with you

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

If you don't like a king he will take everything from you.

A pirate might hate me,

Kings want everything for themselves.

yet we share a common goal

Kings and pirates, all are pirate :-)

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2
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Just a fun guess. :)

Are you

a hacker (White-hat)?

I'm generous if you like me,

Helps you to analyze the system and discover potential risks

but if you don't like me I will become greedy

Hacker might receive and knows your information of the system since the hacker evaluate your system, also it will be expensive to offer the hackers for reviewing your system/network.

A pirate might hate me,

Crackers (Black-Hat) might not like the hackers (White-Hat) since they acted as defenders to protect their clients' computer network or system, by fixing clients' security holes.

yet we share a common goal

Hackers(White-Hat), (Grey-Hat), Crackers(Black-Hat) are highly skilled computer experts, focusing on intellectual and creative aspects of hacking, to enrich computer security by seeing and exploits weaknesses in a computer system or computer network.

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1
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Are you

Free trade?

I'm generous if you like me,

Those who like free trade take advantage of it and make money doing so.

but if you don't like me I will become greedy

People that dislike free trade usually stand to lose money because of it.

A pirate might hate me,

Pirates are smugglers and free trade reduces the prices they can get for doing so.

yet we share a common goal

Pirates and free trade are both trying to give goods to the people who want them.

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1
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Religion

I'm generous if you like me,

If you follow and enjoy religion it sure is capable to provide a lot

but if you don't like me, I will become greedy

If, however, you don't support religion all you get from it is paying their fees. Which is greedy!

A pirate might hate me,

There are many things a pirate hates. So, for example, kings/governments/taxes/... but the riddle says they might hate it. So religion fits here since I don't know if pirates are/were believers or at least religious

yet we share a common goal

This would be to conquer the whole world as religion and pirates never stay in one place but always try to go places. Reminds me of all the reforming business

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Trying to think of a modern religion that still charges "fees". They mostly accept donations, which are by nature optional. $\endgroup$
    – PC Luddite
    Commented Jul 27, 2016 at 0:55

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