An ethical question

[HotelMinion]

Ok, so here the deal. I paid for an expensive console for my family, myself included, to use. I presented it at Christmas saying it was for all of us.
Now I've moved out, and my bro has gotten a roommate that has the same console. So he doesn't need an extra one <---- his words.
Well, why doesn't he give it to me? He says no because it was my gift so it isn't mine. I said it was a gift to all of us (I see no problem in giving gifts to oneself as long as you give to others too.) he said it was wrong to give partial ownership of your gifts to yourself. I say it's more mine than his because I actually paid for it. Who's right? :/ the rest of my family doesn't want it.

[Seshat]

Discuss the situation with your parents and any other siblings or relevent family. If it was a gift to them, then they can perfectly validly gift it on to you. Your brother can be outvoted.

[Sapphire Silk]

Brother's being a greedy dick. Family isn't going to want to be caught in the middle.

You have two choices: cave, or stand your ground. Both have consequences. The former will send the message you can be walked all over.

The latter will paint you as the bad guy.

If it were me, I'd cave . . . and tell Brother he will never get another Christmas gift from you, ever. And stick to your word when he accepts, because he won't think you're serious.

[Sliceanddice]

i would do the whole take it to the family thing too, but if they are like some of my family then this

If it were me, I'd cave . . . and tell Brother he will never get another Christmas gift from you, ever. And stick to your word when he accepts, because he won't think you're serious.

is a good move.

[Monica]

I say take it. It's yours and you paid for it.

[Kittish]

I say take it. It's yours and you paid for it.

Eeeh... I don't know. If brother decides to continue being a dickhead, this opens up a WHOLE lot of potential unpleasantness. Such as reclaiming gifts that brother gave to HM in years gone past, with 'I paid for it. It's mine.'

I'm rather inclined to think that 'you can have it, but you'll never get another gift from me, ever' is probably the way I'd go.

[Monica]

Eeeh... I don't know. If brother decides to continue being a dickhead, this opens up a WHOLE lot of potential unpleasantness. Such as reclaiming gifts that brother gave to HM in years gone past, with 'I paid for it. It's mine.'

I'm rather inclined to think that 'you can have it, but you'll never get another gift from me, ever' is probably the way I'd go.

True. I do see that happening as well. I guess it's which situation you can deal with the best, is the one to go with.

[Greenday]

Eeeh... I don't know. If brother decides to continue being a dickhead, this opens up a WHOLE lot of potential unpleasantness. Such as reclaiming gifts that brother gave to HM in years gone past, with 'I paid for it. It's mine.'

I'm rather inclined to think that 'you can have it, but you'll never get another gift from me, ever' is probably the way I'd go.

The law doesn't quite work that way. If you gift something to a specific person, it's theirs. You can't take it back. Now, if you gift it to multiple people including yourself and you can get majority ownership, that's drastically different.

[HotelMinion]

Thanks for the replies. He's agreed to share the console with me, very reluctantly I might add. Apparently the real reason was because he thought I'd become a homebody, playing all day. He sure does worry about the strangest things. Especially since staying home and playing all day is what he does! :/ >.>

[EricKei]

A case of unexpected introspection, then? Maybe he doesn't want you to end up like him