What is kindness? Where is the boundary between being kind to others and becoming a doormat? Is kindness ever a sign of weakness? Can one be good without being kind?
lightsun Ocean crosser
Posts : 1299 Join date : 2009-06-20 Location : Gaia
Subject: Nice Sun Nov 22, 2009 12:17 am
Very interesting questions. I am glad you asked them. This is highly subjective, but I will give my take. These are all your quotes Romana. "What is kindness?" Kindness to me is to do no harm knowingly against an innocent party. This means non physical or psychological harm, including verbal abuse or neglect. It sounds reasonable enough. Why don't we do it? Because unfortunately, Romana, most people if not all are ruled by their passions. Or should I say over-ruled by the more primitive emotions. So kindness is to do no harm : physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, nor neglect. If we don't practice kindness we have a pathology or no conscience. And are over-ruled by our passions. If we practice kindness do we become a sort of, "...a doormat?" Yes, unfortunately that is the case in a large percentage of engagements. We can become to be termed as weak. This is where great strength is required. To if not accept the label, to at least not fight against the false and entirely untrue label. To be true to one's conscience and higher moral reasoning. It is in essence a test. Can I take the false & mispreceived perceptions of my cohorts-those close to me. Both family and friends and still be ruled by a higher conscience. Plus it is essential to set up boundaries. Just because i'm kind dies not mean that I will be abused. I will not carry your burden. I may walk hand in hand with you. I will not and can not do your journey for you. Part I
Romana Community Developer
Posts : 213 Join date : 2009-07-24
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:30 pm
lightsun wrote:
"What is kindness?" Kindness to me is to do no harm knowingly against an innocent party. This means non physical or psychological harm, including verbal abuse or neglect. It sounds reasonable enough.
What you describe seems more like basic goodness than kindness. To me, kindness is making the effort to do nice things for people.* This can be as simple as a friendly greeting to your coworkers in the morning, or letting someone with far fewer items go ahead of you in the checkout line; or more demanding things like helping your neighbor take down a dead tree or making the effort to return a lost wallet to its owner. One could easily do none of these things without real harm to others, but doing them brings them benefit. There is an element of positive action, rather than simply avoiding the negative action of harming another. (Yes, I realize one can harm others through acts of omission, and that overlooking something like a mistake can be an act of kindness.) This distinction is the basis for my last question: whether one can be good without being nice. This is a quick, off-the-cuff definition. I am sure there is more to kindness than this, but I do not have time to elaborate upon my personal understanding just now.
lightsun Ocean crosser
Posts : 1299 Join date : 2009-06-20 Location : Gaia
Subject: On Kindness Mon Nov 23, 2009 3:07 pm
Romana it is ironic, but if I have not in fact fully covered this subject on kindness, I have in fact touched briefly on it. I have started a new thread. It is highly subjective and open to interpretation, and dialogue. It is where Mayflow has his Daily Universe Sayings. I have started LightSun's sayings. They are very broad statements. They need more definition, more sharpness, & more precision. They are in effect stream of consciousness sayings. Saying what is on top of the pyramid of consciousness, and hopefully working my way down to a more clearly definitive statement. I will get back to answering your question here later.
Nick Joke
Posts : 9 Join date : 2012-03-31
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:52 am
Romana wrote:
What is kindness?
In essence it is putting others at peace. Kindness is always peaceful.
Dormant authority.
Romana wrote:
Where is the boundary between being kind to others and becoming a doormat?
It doesn't crash.
Romana wrote:
Is kindness ever a sign of weakness?
Never.
Romana wrote:
Can one be good without being kind?
Affirmative.
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sat Mar 02, 2013 1:08 am
Spoiler:
Mayflow Starfleet Commander
Posts : 341 Join date : 2009-05-20
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:03 am
It's one of Corinna's dream for the nice to be even nicer
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:58 am
Spoiler:
*makes puppy eyes at maif
Mayflow Starfleet Commander
Posts : 341 Join date : 2009-05-20
Subject: Re: On Kindness Sat Mar 02, 2013 12:51 pm
I wasn't born in Texas, but they seem to accept me here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr37tsF8EAo
Jonathan Ainsley Bain :SPOCK: - Ship's physicist.
Posts : 257 Join date : 2013-02-14
Subject: Re: On Kindness Tue Mar 05, 2013 11:13 am
hate me and i'll hate you back double love me and i'll love you back triple you may think your hate is not hate after you've talked to me you'll know after love with me you'll crow like the rooster on a turbo-booster
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: On Kindness Tue Mar 05, 2013 1:38 pm
betrayers of honesty a kind man stands up for a nice man against liars and accusers
i dissolve hatred i dissolve evil sites
in defending righteousness, all that is nice and good & kind
only the most vile and wrong ever try to stand against me