Rebecca Solnit On Kindness

Altruism and empathy are words heard often, but very few know the true meaning of these words or how to display such qualities. It has been argued by philosophers, psychologist, sociologist and many others since seemingly the dawn of time what humankinds true nature is. Are we born with the innate inclination for good, for bad or somewhere in between? In On Kindness by Adam Phillips and Barbara Taylor they discuss the human capability for kindness and the different ways in which kindness has been displayed and interpreted over the years. Much of what their book discusses can be related to the stories shared by Rebecca Solnit in, A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster. Though after reading these

They present the image that acting in a kind manner and receiving acts of kindness are just as important as a healthy diet and good health. Kindness is needed to avoid neglect and mistreatment. They state that children rely on kindness to receive the care that they cannot provide for themselves and conversely parents rely on the kindness of children as well as a way of avoiding postpartum and the like. Human’s kind nature is what led to the creation of foundations that work to prevent child maltreatment and the mistreatment of animals. Inversely, it is also the absence of kindness the created a need for such organizations. Phillips and Taylor explain the paradox of a dependence on both hatred and kindness; we need one to validate the

It continues to evolve over time and is incorporated into everyday life if different ways. There is a certain level of kindness in each of us and we rely on that kindness in more ways than one. Humankind thrives off of not only receiving acts of kindness but even more so humans thrive from acting out in kind ways. This was a major point of On Kindness, not only is kindness an everlasting part of society but it is also the greatest way to create joy in individuals. Behaving in an altruistic and kind manner brings individuals the most joy, yet in current times this is the behavior we are most hesitant to display. Kindness comes with a certain level of vulnerability for both the actor and the receiver. Vulnerability is not a characteristic that is well received currently and therefore is not something that individuals are willing to experience. It is important to remember the greater outcome that can arise from kindness than the possibility of what may be without