CAELAN SPEED’S CONTRIBUTION TO FIRSTLIGHT TRUST
Who Says Good Guys & Gals Finish Last?
Science announces the results of a study that shows the act of being kind often pays enormous dividends.
That same research shows that even what would seem to most as insignificant, makes us feel healthier and happier.
Those supposed random acts of kindness are the portions of the code that helped us survive and evolve as a species.
The idea that “only the strong survive” and the “survival of the fittest” is not necessarily the lifeblood of homo sapiens. We, as a species, are, in fact, hard-wired to be kind.
A University of California at San Diego (UCSD) psychologist and author, Michael McCullough book, “Kindness of Strangers” reveals that kindness
“…is as bred in our bones as our anger or our lust or our grief or as our desire for revenge,” and is also, “the main feature we take for granted.”
Despite what you see on the internet, the acts of Karen and Ken are an anomaly, and human kindness is actually booming. What many scientists and researchers are saying bodes well for man/womankind as a group.
Human Kindness Is Thriving
What we see on TV and social media is actually the aberration. People are by nature, good and for the large part, kind.
An Oxford anthropologist and research director, Oliver Curry, says,
“Kindness is much older than religion. It does seem to be universal. The basic reason why people are kind is that we are social animals.”
Consider this “random act of kindness” video from YouTube:
The Kindness Survey
We actually consider kindness far ahead of any other trait as a value or human quality worthy of emulation. Well, at least those who took the survey did.
Psychologists put ten values into categories. These categories were:
· Creativity, · obedience, · ambition, · tradition, · security, · social justice, · power, · an eventful life, · kindness, and · hedonism (self-gratification)
They asked survey respondents to pick which was most important in order from one to ten — those who answered the survey, prized kindness over all the other values.
Oxford’s Curry proposes, “We’re kind because under the right circumstances we all benefit from kindness.”
Likewise, in the book “Survival of the Friendliest,” co-author Brian Hare, a Duke evolutionary anthropologist, states, “kindness pays, friendliness pays.” Vanessa Woods, the other contributor, is Duke’s Director of Puppy Kindergarten. She is also an award-winning journalist and author of the Bonobo Handshake: A Memoir of Love and Adventure in the Congo.
How would you like a title like that? Director of Puppy Kindergarten!
What Prompted Me to Write This?
I was asked by Melissa Speed to contribute a poem to her son’s book, Our Lights: A Poetry Book, which will donate all the proceeds to FirstLight Trust a UK non-profit project for Veterans and former First Responders. In the book, you will find contributions by 21 poets. The book is beautifully illustrated by Martin Wood.
Their website states,
“Our veterans want to stand on their own two feet and not have to depend on charities and handouts. They just want to live normal lives in their communities and be able to contribute back to the world. You can help ex-military and emergency service personnel do just that.”
I would suggest buying Caelan’s book, but you can also contribute directly to FirstLight Trust on the website.
Further Proof that Good Guys/Gals Do Not Necessarily Finish Last
Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychology professor at UC Riverside, has conducted multiple kindness experiments and studies over a 20 year period, and has repeatedly discovered people experience euphoria after being kind. She states, “Acts of kindness are very powerful, not just emotionally, but physically.”
When asked to perform three acts of kindness for others and another group to do three for themselves. She told the participants it could be small, such as opening a door, or something more significant. She says that in 27 studies that she conducted, “Being kind makes people feel better emotionally and physically.”
In fact, her peer-reviewed studies, “…found more antiviral genes in people who performed acts of kindness.”
Maybe your wondering what the guy or gal about town thinks? Consider Mateus Pelluchi’s article on the same topic.
How to Buy the Book
Wouldn’t you like to feel better about yourself? Buy Caelan’s book he specifically put together for FirstLight Trust as a personal contribution to Veterans and former First Responders.
The link once again for international buyers.
For link for UK buyers.
Neither of these are my affiliate links, though there are affiliate links in the article.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure statement for additional information. “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Reference:
Borenstein, Seth. “Not so Random Acts: Science Finds That Being Kind Pays Off.” Florida Times Union, 3 July 2020, p. 1.
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Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Currently living in the Philippines, Stephen is a Top Writer in Virtual Reality.
You can see his portfolio here. Email [email protected]