posted on Sep, 16 2015 @ 08:27 PM
Walk up to someone on the street and make an offhand compliment. Say you like their hat, their shoes, their coat, their wardrobe.
Now repeat that experiment a few dozen times, and you'll discover something disturbing.
Most people will smile and accept that compliment graciously.
More than a few will accuse you of ulterior motives.
They'll treat those words as sarcasm and react accordingly--assuming that genuine compliment harbored some deep-seated ill intention. Then they'll
absorb that well-meant comment as negativity, and let it poison their mind for the rest of the day.
We've all experienced that situation. We've all been in a position where a good-intentioned comment fell upon ears that heard it in a very wrong
way.
Fair enough.
Then repeat that experiment, but instead of offering a random compliment--offer an insult.
Now see how many people think you're simply joking. More likely than not, practically everyone will believe the insult, but far fewer people will
take the compliment at face value.
Think for a moment about how strange that is. Consider for a moment what kind of society we're living in where a significant percentage of people
believe that kindness harbors secret malice. Ponder for a second what kind of horrid world we're living in where strangers can't even exchange kind
words without a noteworthy number of individuals taking it askance.
The reason underlying this, of course, is simply because people in this backwards society are used to having negative exchanges with strangers. And
sadly, they're almost completely unprepared for a random encounter to lead in positive directions.
This is the paradox of kindness in the world in which we're living. And the paradox of kindness is the sign of a failing society. Where kindness is
taken for veiled insults and compliments are presumed to be hidden critiques, our reality is in serious trouble. And we can only reverse that trend by
ceaselessly working together day by day.
Remodeling a society is a long and slow and arduous task, but the burden falls upon all of us if we ever want live in a better reality than the one we
currently inhabit. So start with yourself--and start by conditioning strangers that not all random encounters are bad.
Strike up a good conversation with someone at the gym. Exchange pleasantries in passing with individuals you regularly see.
Pay offhand but sincere compliments to people you pass by on the street.
Encounter by encounter, show strangers a kinder gentler face then they became accustomed.
Meeting by meeting, show the world that your compliments are sincere.
Then, one mind at a time, you'll slowly change the world for the best.