If you can be anything, be kind....

[BeAnythingBeKind]

Its such a simple thing, and can make all the difference.

We are all guilty of it, me included, So instead of making negative comments about the work colleagues, fellow school mum's, stranger on the bus...Say something kind, you never know, it could just make all the difference. No-one really knows what people are going through.

Anyone who wants to vent/talk/cry....Please feel free to let rip here, It's OK not to feel OK

So say all the snarky schoolrun mums on facebook who refuse eye contact and a smile in my direction . Practice what you preach.

I think if you are a kind person you don't need a reminder to be kind.
If you need a reminder you aren't so nice.

I’m not sure what the question was so maybe the vote is unclear. At the moment it’s 51% YABU. This doesn’t reflect the comments, so there are possibly many posters who think that this is an odd movement to have been inspired by a situation that started from an alleged act of violence and unkindness, but aren’t saying so.

Yeah well for a start kind people don’t generally watch gutter shite like Love Island. There’s nothing ‘kind’ about reality TV.

I’ve never seen so much hypocrisy over a tragic death of someone with many complex problems.

But yes, let’s all ‘be kind’ at the expense of intelligent critical thought.

@spermysextowel I didn't realise I had vote "on". There wasn't really a question, I just felt like I wanted to say what I said...so I did.

'Yeah well for a start kind people don’t generally watch gutter shite like Love Island'

Wow! I find that meme as mawkish as anyone but this is a bit of a sweeping statement

I'm not in favour of unkindness, but "Be kind" would be a very effective silencing tool, wouldn't it? For women especially, because we are brought up to be thoughtful and mindful of other people's feelings. Sometimes speaking out about things which are genuinely unjust or wrong is not kind, but it is necessary.

No, it’s true, people who watch Love Island leave their morals at the door. A kind act would be to abandon it entirely.

@Hollyhead, I have never watched an episode of Love Island, That doesn't mean I cant feel sad for someone who felt so lonely, depressed, tormented and lost that they felt there was know other option then to end their life. (Of course, I am only surmising what the reasons were, as I am only going by what I have heard/read)

There is a certain irony in the fact that most of the people who have added a “Be Kind” filter to their Facebook profile pic are some of the meanest bitches I know...

And should people ‘be kind’ about say, Nigel Farage? Or is he fair game? How do you decide?

‘I’m really not a fan of Nigel Fragd I think he might be a bit of a racist knob’
‘Now now Holyhead, Be kind!’

beanythingbekind
What a lovely and thought provoking post. With the unbelievably sad news about Caroline Flack I was reminded of the beautiful quote from Maya Angelou. "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"

In this age of social media people are left hurt and broken by words, thousands and thousands of vile words were written about Caroline Flack of which she would never remember each one of them but she could not and should not have had to cope with how they made feel.

@BeAnythingBeKind completely agree, I am in the same position. It’s tremendously sad.

A lot of ‘be anything be kind’ spouters I know love bitching about who’s shagging who on Love Island as though they’re nothing to do with the problem!

@Dontdribbleonthecarpet There is a difference in being mean and speaking the truth, If you are calling someone a "paedo" just because they look odd, or whatever is mean, but calling someone a Paedophile because, well, they actually are is something different entirely,

What, in practice, does ‘being kind’ actually look like?
It's not about burying your feelings and white washing over cruel acts from others.
It's about taking a bit of time to think about people, to remember to check in on people when they have a lot of stuff going on. Accepting that people are usually trying their best even if sometimes they miss the mark. Being someone who even if they can't make things better doesn't deliberately make things worse.

Made her feel. Rest in peace Caroline

Well I’m sure Hitler had his good points but if he was alive today I would want to shoot him not be kind.
It’s a bit of a blanket statement said by people who want to feel good about themselves without taking into account the reality of life.

I think people are generally kind, or they’re thoughtless/selfish. Most people are good and they far outweigh the unkind people in my experience. It’s just that the unkind people cause so much damage, misery and worse. Actions have consequences.

And should people ‘be kind’ about say, Nigel Farage?

Or Katie Hopkins? We all loved the stunt the other week with her standing in front of the massive CUNT sign? Were there cries then for kindness and compassion?

No. The same people who lapped it up and shared it endlessly are, by and large (on my social feeds) the same people who are now attempting to police everyone’s behaviour and tell us all to be kind.

And should people ‘be kind’ about say, Nigel Farage? Or is he fair game? How do you decide?

Depends on the circumstances, I hate everything he stands for but if he had a personal tragedy I would be kind to him. If he was just standing about spouting his normal bollocks I wouldn't feel obliged to do anything other than let my disagreement be known.

@gamerwidow yes I like that approach.

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m a kind person, I like kindness, but I hate the way social interaction and acceptance now seems to be mainly governed by following bland well intentioned memes and grief signalling at the right time, without any truly deep reflection in who you really are, what you do and what builds strength.

Sorry but this is really infuriating me.
It's all over Facebook and was posted in particular by someone I work with and once upon a time I thought was a friend who has been an absolute bitch to me so many times over the years, reducing me to tears. As a family we have had the worst year and she has ignored me completely, not even a bloody text to say hope all is ok, etc.
So, this just seems like gross hypocrisy from many people. Those who are kind just are, they don't need telling.
Those who aren't won't change as they don't see themselves as the problem.

Depends on the circumstances, I hate everything he stands for but if he had a personal tragedy I would be kind to him.

Well, that statement just sums up how vacuous this meme is. Because surely the whole point is it’s too late by then. So we now have to agree with and ‘be kind’ to everyone, no matter their views and actions, and how kind they may be to others, for fear that we may be part of the cause of that personal tragedy.

Agree with dontdribble.
Maybe kindness can be learned though. I do think it's definition is open to interpretation, a bit like love.

Kindness to me is a set of behaviours encompassing integrity, respect, tolerance and compassion. It's not about gestures in so much as they're often about the giver than the receiver. Then again, how vab we tell for sure? We simply cannot. So, I'm erring with the something is better than nothing school of thought. That kindness, however small, can be contagious.

Appreciate I'm a tad analytical, however the cynicism about 'some' kindess stems I think from being seen to do the right thing, as opposed to doing it anyway.

Michelle Obama's book mentions the tenet "when they go low, you go high". I think that's big-picture kindness.

I agree with a pp who stated it's difficult to be kind to unkind people.
I try to be civil to these people but don't engage too much.
I've actually made NC with one side of my family because unkind and hurtful people bring you down. I've tried over the years to change people but people don't change. If they are ugly inside , they never change. They may fake it for a while but their true colours always show.
So, it's good to be kind but some times to self preserve, we need to be kind to ourselves and cut ourselves off from the nasty people around us.
We can only be responsible for our own actions, we can not change anyone or stop them being who they are .
But yes, I agree, being kind is so important and we all forget how easy it is to be kind sometimes .