Question

Kindness is a great quality

Answer 1

Most people regard attitude as something that can be developed or studied. It’s subject to control.

It’s not uncommon to hear someone say they’re “working on” or “maintaining” their positive attitude. We treat attitudes like muscles that benefit from exercise. Whether we hit the gym frequently, or avoid it altogether, we invariably hold ourselves accountable for the condition of our attitudes. The couch potato has only herself to blame for her bad attitude. The diligent weightlifter can praise himself for the strength of his.

Attitude is subjective

Our attitude about attitude reflects something deeply cultural. It supposes willingness to shoulder responsibility and bear the weight of consequence.

In other words, if we’ve lost control of our attitude, we are willing to accept that we’ve lost control of ourselves.

What’s most interesting about our concept of attitude is how very different it is from other concepts of esteem, happiness and humanities.

Kindness, for example…

“Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty” was written on a placemat at a restaurant in California in the 80’s. Eleven years later, Anne Herbert, the placemat author, went on to publish her aptly named book, “Random Kindness & Senseless Acts of Beauty”. The idea of doing something for no obvious personal reward has become the dominant definition of kindness.

Kindness is more than an action

With this collectively accepted definition, kindness is not conditional. You do something kind or you don’t. Unlike attitude, people don’t work on kindness. No one goes around saying, “I’m working on my kindness today.” But why not? Why can’t kindness be a subject to putting in work? Perhaps it is time to shift our perception of kindness.

Kindness is charity

Instead, we should treat kindness as a charitable quality. Charity involves helping someone; providing something they need but can’t get for themselves. We generally assume that something is material or physical. In reality, charity often has little to do with money.

It’s impossible to ignore financial matters, however, and in this realm, charity tends to flow in one direction. Though rich people may be generous with their money, they stay rich and they are the giver rather than the receiver in perpetuity. But in life as a whole, especially in relationships, charity rarely drives one way.