Double it and Give it to the Next Person

Image source: https://aboutherculture.com/the-neighborhood-art-by-nigerian-american-uzo-njuko/
‘We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.’ Ronald Raegan
Like chivalry, kindness may be dead—or at least on the brink of dying. In today’s age, everybody is so busy trying to be somebody that we’ve forgotten how to be in the moment and appreciate the basic nature of our being. From childhood to adolescence to adulthood, kindness has become a luxury we can’t afford to trust. Without an ulterior motive, we question the niceties of strangers and even loved ones. Although we might want to be kind as individuals, the world has programmed us to believe that kindness makes us fools. In pursuit of individualism, we’ve committed the most treacherous act: abandoning the connectedness of community.
We are products of modern living—a reality that has both gifted and cursed us. The constant pursuit of external achievements and validation has overshadowed our emotional needs. In the last couple of decades, we have learned the art of detachment, which has fundamentally changed our relationship with people. Our antisocial disposition has led to less communication weakening communal bonds I blame capitalism for this parallelism. While capitalism has given us the freedom to tailor our lifestyles and experiment with self-expression, it has also eroded communal bonds. I often hear phrases like, “This generation has forgotten how to live together,” and, “Many years ago, people helped each other—unlike now.” Isn’t it obvious? We’ve sold our souls to technology. . Technological changes have shifted the dimensions of our culture, triggering a domino effect that has caused social and economic side effects.
This is the 21st century—a time when people prefer digital communities over physical ones when the slogan “survival of the fittest” has found new relevance. Economic struggles force many to prioritize survival over communal efforts. It’s also a time of an epidemic of loneliness and higher rates of stress and anxiety. Perhaps it’s not so crazy that kindness has taken a backseat. After all, it’s I vs. the world. Kindness can be subjective or objective, depending on personal experiences and perceptions. What feels like kindness to one person might be seen differently by another. However, small acts of kindness that positively impact an individual are rarely misunderstood. While one person may not be able to change the world, they can hold the door for a pregnant woman, compliment a little girl, or be kind to the elderly. Everyday goodwill is powerful—it can make someone’s day, and that someone might go on to brighten another’s day. It reminds us that even in our solitude, we are connected- and that simple gestures can rebuild what we’ve lost.
Written by: Ruth Mekasha
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