What is kindness in the understanding of society? This is the desire of a person to help, while not expecting or asking for something in return. But this, of course, is not a complete definition. Kindness is a very high and powerful feeling, about which thousands of books have been written, hundreds of films have been shot. In all fairy tales, legends and epics, good triumphs over evil. It is at the core of all religions. But for some reason, it is becoming less and less in the world … New ideals and worldviews, new time. Now kindness is not a profitable investment at all: no promotion, no popularity, no money. How to return this quality to people's lives and become kinder yourself?
Definition of concept
Kindness is the desire to selflessly help, without demanding in return any services, gratitude or encouragement. Such an act is not a demonstration performance and not a stage for the audience. This is the usual behavior of a real person.
From early childhood, a child is taught why it is necessary to give up a seat in transport: so that people do not look askance in order to be goodchild, so as not to look bad. This is, in fact, a demonstrative morality. And no one thinks that offering a place to an old man, a mother with a child or a pregnant woman is help. In this particular case, to give way means to make life easier for another person, even for some 10 minutes. Kindness is the ability to see and understand. Great things always start small.
Meaning of the word "kindness"
There is such a property of the soul that does not allow you to remain indifferent to the troubles and misfortunes of others. For example, kindness and compassion are the basis of the character of many Russians who seek to come to the aid of even an unknown person. This is a caring attitude towards people and relatives, this is a gentle attitude towards animals.
The meaning of the word is abstract. A lot has been invested in its meaning. After all, kindness is both mercy, and sympathy, and empathy, and selflessness, and humanity. Love for a person, the desire to save him induces heroic deeds.
What a kind person looks like: his portrait
The eternal companion of kindness is altruism. Willingness to help. At the same time, it is not necessary to give the last piece of bread, clothes or a penny. Sometimes, to help a person, it is enough to talk to him, smile at him, support him.
But how do people treat beggars and beggars? What do they say about a cripple begging in the crossing? These people are passed by the masses who justify their indifference: "If they drink it, they will take it away." However, no one bothers to buy him bread or bring clothes? They won't be taken away for sure.drinking such items is very difficult.
But a kind person loves people, all without exception. He accepts them for who they are. Without condemnation and censure, he never talks about someone else's wretchedness and does not whisper about the failures of colleagues. His love is many-sided, and this is the true meaning of kindness. After all, what's the difference, whom to help? A Russian boy with cancer or an African child who is dying of hunger? They both need help and compassion. This is what kindness is, it lies in love for people, for each person individually, no matter who he is, no matter what religion he professes, no matter what status he holds in society.
Myths and reality
What can they think of to abandon human values! Kindness in modern society is perceived as a burden, and in order to finally drown out the conscience and find an excuse for inaction, people have invented myths.
Myth 1. Kindness is naivety.
Kind-hearted people very often become objects of manipulators, but narcissistic beauties, misers, notorious young men, romantic girls, and suspicious young ladies of Balzac's age become their victims. Nobody in this world is safe. Therefore, kind does not mean naive. It is sometimes very difficult to see a deceiver, even for the most suspicious and cautious persons.
Myth 2. Kindness is optimism.
A kind person is presented by everyone as an open, cordial, ingenuous person. But in life, as a rule,Other people come to help. For example, the grouchy Natalya Ivanovna, who always chases and scolds the yard boys, but helps one of them when he falls into a puddle. It often happens that a closed, gloomy person comes to the rescue, and positive and cheerful people pass by. The inner content of a person is not always immediately visible, so you should not judge him only by his demeanor.
Myth 3. Kindness is humiliation.
In today's world, the pursuit of profit has become the main goal of the lives of many. What does kindness mean in modern society? She began to be perceived as something humiliating. In the minds of the majority, there is a terrible program of "Weak Push", which needs to be urgently changed. It is necessary for everyone to learn not to push, but to pull along, to save from the abyss. This is an act of a kind person, and it cannot be humiliating, unlike cowardice, because of which more than one thousand people died.
Myth 4: Kindness is weakness.
There is such a stereotype in society that when you do good, you open your back for an attack, there is even a saying “They don’t look for good from good”. The ability to sympathize, to regret, to share grief, to sympathize is equated with weakness. But in fact, it is just the one who is waiting for a stab in the back and all the time thinking about profit is weak. He's wasting energy. Vigilance does not save him, and he remains alone, without support and a kind word, but with his caution and a skeptical view of the world.
You should not reject the humanity in yourself and believe the myths, you shouldforget about selfishness and always try to sympathize with your neighbor and help him in difficult times - this is what kindness is in its true meaning.
Not for self-interest, or The positive aspects of cordiality
Of course, goodness has advantages, they are obvious:
- When you help a person, the chances of getting a favor in return increase. People are bound by a sense of duty.
- A kind word, support can save a person's life. Sometimes a smile is enough to push someone towards a dream.
- Having done a good deed, a person raises his self-esteem. He feels strong, brave, important and needed.
How to learn to be kind?
To become a warm person and understand the meaning of the word "kindness", you should eradicate the following shortcomings in yourself:
- Conquer your anger.
- Drive out arrogance.
- To eradicate the feeling of envy.
- Let go of all resentment.
- Do not think about self-interest.
- Do not label.
- Destroy your selfishness.
If you want to know what kindness is, then you should remember two important conditions:
- Never show off your good deeds.
- You can't do a disservice, a good deed should do good, not harm.
Returning kindness to society is a very difficult task. You need to start with yourself. Reach out to a friend, neighbor, classmate, colleague,homeless boy, a cripple in the transition. You just need to do good. And perhaps time will pass and the world will change.
